calebz Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Well.. Looks like the wagon is going to stay for a while. I got no offers on it, and very little parts interest. No worries. I keep it. This weekend it enters its next stage. Given the time constraints, I expect the overall process to take around 1 year. Step 1 - Teh wagon goes on a diet. I know some of you have done some weight reduction. I looked around a little, but there are a few lightened EAs that I think are missing from my search. So here's your chance. What is the lightest any of you guys have gotten an EA82 Wagon? I already have a good idea of whats coming out, but I would be interested to see what some of the others weigh in at. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4WDFrenzy Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 When did you have the wagon for sale? Where the heck was I during all this? Back on topic, I have no idea of what the lightest weight of an EA82 is. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted September 1, 2006 Author Share Posted September 1, 2006 Where the heck was I during all this? In Japan maybe? :-p http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=61047 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeshoup Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Definitely should do a before and after weights of your diet. I'm fairly curious what weight can be lost. Obvious thing is of course gutting interior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 gut the interior, switch side glass from glass to lexan, lose the rear wiper and all exterior trim, go manual mirrors vs power, go manual windows vs power AND ditch 3 of the window cranks, all 4 can share 1, just crank-crank-pass. You are no longer allowed carpet or a fuel door, toss the A/C and heater, the glovebox can go in the pile too, as can the passenger sunvisor and all Oh S#!T handles... alloy wheels vs. steel, helium in the tires vs. oxygen, wash off all grease and crap from the undercarriage AND inside the fenders, and put in a 3-gallon gas tank - unused fuel is extra weight :cool: oh, and drill holes in every non-load bearing surface that is not aerodynamically necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nkx Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 ill see if i can get the wagon on a scale sometime soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phizinza Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Can't help on the EA82 wagon, but heres a bit of useless/useful (?) info! My bro was lighterning his Fiat X1/9 and when he pulled the glovebox lid (just the lid) off it weighed 4KG!!! every bit counts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 what about seats?? have you looked into finding lighter-weight seats? i know my GL-10 has the height control on it.. and if youve got lumbas supports and adjustable headrests, well, couldnt you find seats from 1973 and use them?? just a thought, i dont think ive ever seen two subaru seats that were quite identical... remove the "door" covering the tool hatch in the back, or if you have the particle board and its flat give it to me :- ) Clock/trip computer, intermittent wiper control unit?? door buzzer, dome light dome light switches (heh, really counting ounces there) could you remove the child lock mechanism from the rear doors?? any cruise control equipment? you could install a kill switch somewhere and eliminate the need for the ignition lock, that things kinda heavy :- ) you could remove the support struts for the rear hatch, and keep something handy... but then there would be the tendency to leave that something in the car, which would eliminate the weight loss. windshield washer?? i guess this is gonna be an offroader though? so thats probably necessary.. he may even want to upgrade that to a heavier unit, huh? I dunno, i just started brainstorming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted September 1, 2006 Author Share Posted September 1, 2006 gut the interior, switch side glass from glass to lexan, lose the rear wiper and all exterior trim, go manual mirrors vs power, go manual windows vs power AND ditch 3 of the window cranks, all 4 can share 1, just crank-crank-pass. You are no longer allowed carpet or a fuel door, toss the A/C and heater, the glovebox can go in the pile too, as can the passenger sunvisor and all Oh S#!T handles... alloy wheels vs. steel, helium in the tires vs. oxygen, wash off all grease and crap from the undercarriage AND inside the fenders, and put in a 3-gallon gas tank - unused fuel is extra weight :cool: oh, and drill holes in every non-load bearing surface that is not aerodynamically necessary. You're kinda on the right track.. just a slight touch of overkill There will also be some weight added, front and rear strut tower bars.. possible rear suspension redesign looks like it will involve adding a little bit of metal.. Hoping when its all said and done, I will remove more than I will add. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank B Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Get a couple of good blades for your sawsall, and look for every non-load bearing bolt and cut off the excess threads that go past the nut or piece that it's bolted to. Put every one you cut into a bucket and weight it. I've seen 50 pounds come off of cars that way! But since you are removing a lot of pieces, those bolts and fasteners will be gone anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syonyk Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 It really depends on what you're going to be using it for and what your personal safety standards are. Plexi/lexan instead of all the glass except the windshield will make a BIG difference. You could remove the side crash bars from inside the doors, but then any side impact would go right into the passenger compartment (I wouldn't do that on any of mine). Everything in the engine bay that's not needed goes. AC, EGR, charcoal canister, etc. Get a lighter battery & relocate it somewhere not at the edge of the car. The exhaust system weighs a good amount (having dead lifted the entire system yesterday, I know). Chop it early & kick the exhaust out the sides or top of the hood. Under the car, the muffler/exhaust hangers are pretty solid and can go. You can cut the webbing out from the inside of the doors. I'd keep the driver's side door interior, though - it'll make it a lot more tolerable to drive. -=Russ=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet82 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 With this weight loss plan, what is the end result? Strictly off-road? If your just going off road you can shed many pounds by pitching your rear hatch? Side doors weigh a ton! Times that by 4! A hood is a fairly heavy piece of equipment??? As I was stripping my hatch to make the buggy, I was amazed at how much those things weighed---and how light my car was without them. The car ran noticeably better without all the cosmetic stuff like doors, the hood etc... I talked with a cop, who said it was actually legal to drive like that. Much like the Broncos or Jeeps do. Just a thought? Glenn, 82 SubaruHummer--diet plate! 84 GL Mad Max--Rust has contributed significantly to it's weight loss:eek: 01 Forester--weighs in at #3200 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgd73 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 gut the interior, switch side glass from glass to lexan, lose the rear wiper and all exterior trim, go manual mirrors vs power, go manual windows vs power AND ditch 3 of the window cranks, all 4 can share 1, just crank-crank-pass. You are no longer allowed carpet or a fuel door, toss the A/C and heater, the glovebox can go in the pile too, as can the passenger sunvisor and all Oh S#!T handles... alloy wheels vs. steel, helium in the tires vs. oxygen, wash off all grease and crap from the undercarriage AND inside the fenders, and put in a 3-gallon gas tank - unused fuel is extra weight :cool: oh, and drill holes in every non-load bearing surface that is not aerodynamically necessary. it sounds as though part of weight loss is making the very electrical system that needs quick, to mimick a lighter car, is part of the answer . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syonyk Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 I talked with a cop, who said it was actually legal to drive like that. Much like the Broncos or Jeeps do. Ok. Now someone has to get a pic series of a Subaru cruising down the road sans all movable openings. For pure offroad use, that's a great idea, though. I'm betting you could eliminate 300+ lbs by pulling the doors/hood/hatch, though you'd remove some of the water crossing ability. And you wouldn't have to worry about lexan/plexi windows. -=Russ=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 ......though you'd remove some of the water crossing ability. -=Russ=- Wuss. if you wanna be cool, you gotta get wet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted September 1, 2006 Author Share Posted September 1, 2006 Ok. Now someone has to get a pic series of a Subaru cruising down the road sans all movable openings. For pure offroad use, that's a great idea, though. I'm betting you could eliminate 300+ lbs by pulling the doors/hood/hatch, though you'd remove some of the water crossing ability. And you wouldn't have to worry about lexan/plexi windows. -=Russ=- No water crossings for me. Pavement only Thanks for the tips guys. But what I'm actually looking for here is real life number from anyone that has done. Maybe with a brief description of what has been done. Side impact bars stay Glass stays. The only 'offroad' use this thing will see is the track. It has to stay at least semi-legal.. Or not obviously illegal :-p So again.. For those that have shed some fat from an EA82 wag.. what kind of numbers are you guys getting? With me in the car, 1/2 tank of gas and a couple of pizzas, I last weighed in at just under 2900. So thats my starting number. I know what the door plate says, but I am starting with as close to a rea life number as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 paper mache body panels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 No water crossings for me. Pavement only Thanks for the tips guys. But what I'm actually looking for here is real life number from anyone that has done. Maybe with a brief description of what has been done. Side impact bars stay Glass stays. The only 'offroad' use this thing will see is the track. It has to stay at least semi-legal.. Or not obviously illegal :-p So again.. For those that have shed some fat from an EA82 wag.. what kind of numbers are you guys getting? With me in the car, 1/2 tank of gas and a couple of pizzas, I last weighed in at just under 2900. So thats my starting number. I know what the door plate says, but I am starting with as close to a rea life number as possible. sorry to have assisted in getting it off-base but i agree with your idea of starting at a real life number... however a smaller gas tank might actually be a good idea, despite the inconvenience it may cause. my remark about the seats still holds as well, you may well be able to find lighter weight soob seats to bolt in in place of what you have now. if you are really looking for a performance machine, all the AC and heater stuff would also be scrappable, and that should give you well over a hundred pounds there, too... and a custom anti theft system with two small hidden killswitches (they could even be key actuated) would still probably weigh less than the stock ignition lock... you might want to look into designing a custom hanger for your alternator? i dont know what any OTHER setup looks like, but mine with the hitachi AC compressor on the 87 gl10 has a huge iron bracket that weighs about ten or fifteen pounds, IIRC. relocating the battery to the back would also help weight distribution, if that makes a difference. beyond that, i cant think of anything. but all these suggestions mentioned here from my original uninhibited brainstorm still hold true to a street legal, not ENTIRELY un-passenger-friendly ride.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nkx Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 ditch those stock seats. heavy and uncomforable. get a set of corbeaus ftw! i will try to weigh my wagon as soon as i can. oh, and take out the sunroof if you have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgd73 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 there is structure that you could negate with piping rather than the heavy guage the car has in spots. I found in my old wagon, the back end starting behind the rear seat is very powerfully heavy(that means signals too). Even the sedans have it above the gas tank.glass is a real weight faker as well as buzzing sheet steel. a roll cage strategically, for the tough signals,without removing anything may give you what your after.(?) if a few pounds of steel starts making the difference removed, the body had signal problems (torque related) and it simply tightened some lines that vacate the pressures quicker (stronger is tighter- acts lighter). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subeman90 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 one thing I might add having driven NKX's car: let the door panels on. I like to have an arm rest and those doors are full of sharp little things. If you are tracking it I would remove all the carpet but if it is for driving on the street then i personally would let the front carpet in and take all of it out behind the front seats. If it has auto belts scrap that and get a good 5 pt harness. What about removing all the guts of the rear 2 doors and welding them shut? more rigidity and less weight inside the doors. Also, if you are going to be the only one in the car then just go with one seat only and not a pair up front. Relocate the battery to the rear or behind the front seats on the floor (in a battery box) and if you want to go really crazy....5 gal fuel cell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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