Dennis ex24 Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 3/18/04 *EDIT* Check the last page of this thread for new updates... - Dennis ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- the car in question is a 1987 XT GL10, and its typical of the GL10s to be loaded with every damn option from the factory as you guys all know...im not sure what they weigh exactly, but i think its in the neighborhood of 2700lbs, id like to get that down to 2500. im interested in knowing if you guys have any ideas or suggestions on cutting the fat...obvious would be A/C components but i want to retain that if possible. also, im already toying with the idea of going down from 15 inch wheels to the 14 inch alloys from an XT6 thanx guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XSNRG Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 If yur serious, the AC should be the first thing to go, that stuff is heavy and robs power. That will give you more incentive to run with the sun roof in the trunk (no! leave it at home, save more weight!) and feel the wind in your hair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TROGDOR! Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Special lightweight 14 inch alloys. Very expensive, but as low as 14 pounds per rim. Pull off the interior paneling and carpet and get rid of all the insulation underneath, then reinstall the panels and carpet. Remove the backseat. Use the boards from an XT DL instead, they only weigh about 2 pounds. Start getting rid of unneccessary stuff. Do you really need 4 speakers? Do you really need a trip computer? What about the equalizer? Consider getting seats from an XT DL. They have no height adjustment and are pretty low-frills. They weigh about half as much. Really it just matters how much you want to strip out of the car. I have a friend with a Sentra who gained .3 seconds on his 1/4 mile time through exensive weight reduction. Of course that car was like driving a soda can, but you get the idea... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meeky Moose Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 anyone have that link to where they "lightened that nissan sentra" that suddenly pops to mind. chop the top, use temporary donuts as tires, remove the dash, etc.. basically have a rolling chassis with an engine.. i know you wouldn't do that Dennis, the thought just popped into my head for some reason lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezapar Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 My buddy Sean came up with a good way. It was a motto. "Every time I get out of the car, I take part of it with me" Got the RX (after the rollcage was installed) down to 2350. Here's the rollcage partially installed. http://usmb.net/gallery/zapar/rxlight Did the same thing to my XT, but never took photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archemitis Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 take out the back seats. take a sawsall to that hafl assed fire wall, and lose some metal. then you would prolly need a rear strut tower brace. ac and power steering are a must to go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis ex24 Posted November 18, 2003 Author Share Posted November 18, 2003 2350 would be crazy in this car, it would scream. unfortunatley, i need to keep this car as a daily so some of the stuff like flooring and the complete firewall have to stay. an idea would be to eliminate the rear seats using the DL shelf, or whatever the hell that thing is. anyone know where one is on the east?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TROGDOR! Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Sure, I know where one is. Jeremy's got one. It's got a blue interior and the bottom half of the shelf is split at the seam pretty bad, probably could be sewn back together. I'll see if he wants a back seat instead. Also, I forgot one weight reduction suggestion- hire a horse jockey to do your 1/4 mile drags for you. My friend with the Sentra did things to extremes... Removed all the interior panels, carpet, and insulation. He took out everything but the driver's seat. Pretty much had no dash. Cut the cross bracing out from under the hood and trunklid. Cut out the floor and spare tire well of the trunk and welded in a piece of sheet metal. Removed A/C and PS. I don't even remember what else, but there's more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis ex24 Posted December 20, 2003 Author Share Posted December 20, 2003 some progress on the XT from hell... i decided im going to go ahead and pull the all the A/C related stuff, i figure ill save of lot of lost HP once its out of the way. this is the optimal time to do it, the cars been sitting on the lift for 3 weeks waiting for a new short block...head bolts were stripped as were the bolt holes in the block resulting in a blown HG... probably looking at about 75lbs of stuff coming off at least? the damn compressor has to weigh 20 by itself, its a monster. if anyone else has any other ideas to get this thing down in the weight department, please share. id like to get this thing down to honda territory (2500-2600) - unlikely, but it would be a real competitor in the upcoming autoX season beginning in the spring and a blast in the 1/4mi too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archemitis Posted December 20, 2003 Share Posted December 20, 2003 spare tire area can be cut out. if rx s have that little extra 5 lb piece of metal. more room for an intercooler then. get rid of all skid plates. plastic fuel cell. that seat idea is right on. the loaded seats weigh a hell of alot compared to bone stock seats. motorcycle battery. shorter exhaust, with no cat or big rump roast muffler. go nuts, i cant wait to weigh my stripped hatch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svxpert Posted December 21, 2003 Share Posted December 21, 2003 take out the power steering. put a manual rack in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myxalplyx Posted December 24, 2003 Share Posted December 24, 2003 Originally posted by Dennis ex24 ......... but it would be a real competitor in the upcoming autoX season beginning in the spring and a blast in the 1/4mi too. Hey Dennis, If you are going to an autox sometime in your XT turbo, shoot me a PM or email. I'm not sure how you feel about the past car 'incident' but I haven't heard anything from you in a bit. If you are down, give me a shout. My XT6 isn't perfect but it's running ok. Maybe you'd like to do a side-by-side comparison sometime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WagonsOnly Posted December 24, 2003 Share Posted December 24, 2003 Uhhh...get an XT DL or GL without any options, and leave the poor GL-10 in one piece?You're really stripping that rare a car to gain a couple seconds at the strip? To each his own... The dash must weigh quite a bit, as it's huge. You could cut away at the pass. side and replace it with something from a Loyale. Also consider removing the trunk lining (insulation, carpet, and the metal/masonite for the stow-all compartments) and the spare tire (replace with Fix A Flat, and hope you don't have sidewall issues if you do hae a blowout). Why not even take the trunk lid off, and trim the sides of the trunk, and have an XT short-bed crew-cab 2-door pickup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis ex24 Posted December 24, 2003 Author Share Posted December 24, 2003 kevin... the car is in the shop getting a new shortblock. a previous owner helicoiled the threads for the headbolts and they werent holding proper torque. it eventually blew a headgasket and most of the headbolts came out stripped...should be done next week. Originally posted by WagonsOnly Uhhh...get an XT DL or GL without any options, and leave the poor GL-10 in one piece?You're really stripping that rare a car to gain a couple seconds at the strip? To each his own... andrew... yeah it is a rare car. even rarer now after all the work has been done to it. why would i want to buy another one? especially a GL or DL? this one is rust free and looks great...the EA82T just isnt much of a contender, some of the fat has to go on the car to make up for its lack of balls...the car has to be able to be driven semi-daily, so the dash is staying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis ex24 Posted December 30, 2003 Author Share Posted December 30, 2003 ok...some news if anyone cares to read, today we got the engine back together at work...matter of fact the intake manifold was just bolted on an hour or so ago. the engine now is a stock EA82T block with no overbore like last time...im beginning to wonder if the larger displacement in the combustion chamber may have caused the car to ping at high boost levels. timing was always a goddamn battle with this car. while the engine was out, me and a friend removed all air conditioning and cruise control associated paraphenalia from the engine bay. also a few useless brackets and other stuff...looks way cleaner with less unnecessary BS all over the place. biggest problem i forsee now is finding a belt to take up for the missing AC compressor. the alt. bracket may or maynot have enough space to cover the adjustment ill post any results as they come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archemitis Posted December 30, 2003 Share Posted December 30, 2003 you just need to measure that belt and get one at napa or anywhere you can make the parts guys do what you say. mine works with just an alternator and water pump. ditch that carbon canister. theres alot of weight there. all the skid plates should go. if it has any. did you get rid of the ac stuff in the cab too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TROGDOR! Posted December 30, 2003 Share Posted December 30, 2003 Dennis... why not just use the belt for an XT with no A/C? If the layout is different, then let me know and I can get you the alt/PS bracket from a non/AC model- they've got 2 in the yard here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratty2Austin Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 i dont get it... everyone seems to have trouble finding a belt for a removed-AC car... in my turbo XT, i removed the AC stuff, and I used the same belt- all i had to do was adjust the alt all the way out... have you tried that? and yes, I agree- if it is a nice XT, you should not strip it or un-origionalize it at all.. they are so rare!! I am trying to restore mine, and if you do take stuff out, let me know!! (need some radio+console pieces, and a rear seatbelt roll up unit (drivers side) but if you are looking to make it faster, have you considered intercooler, and adjustable boost pressure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subarutex Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 Its already intercooled Austin. Right now Dennis is on the for front of EA82T performance. I'm sure he's thought of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratty2Austin Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 oops... my bad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis ex24 Posted December 31, 2003 Author Share Posted December 31, 2003 thanx for reading guys, i appreciate the info/comments too... steve - yeah, that bracket would help big time, mind grabbing it for me? let me know what itll cost and all that. austin - regarding the belt, thanx for the tip. i kinda thought that there would be enough adjustment in the alt to use the same belt, cool to know that somebody has done this. and the mods so far look like this: Legacy turbo charger K and N cone filter WRX stock exhaust full XT6 suspension, brakes and 5 lugs with KYBs in the back Volvo By Pass Valve Turbo XS boost controller Ford intercooler short shifter 3.70 rear LSD and RX trans XT6 clutch and lightened flywheel while the car was apart, we got a chance to sort out pretty much all of its ailments so im pretty excited to fire it up as it hasnt run in about a month...ill keep updating this thread and bumping it up when i have more info to post. what a pain in the rump roast this thing has been... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis ex24 Posted January 6, 2004 Author Share Posted January 6, 2004 well... we got the car out of the shop on friday afternoon about 4pm. and by sunday i was tearing into it again. the intercooler plumbing was shot and needed to be replaced, so i made a trip to home depot and all is well after i replaced the intake pipe to turbo hose and the IC to turbo hose. i have roughly 300 miles on this engine and its doing very well, pulling like hell at low boost and running very very strong. im not sure where the engine came from, it was sitting here at work and somebody tossed it my way when we found out the old bored block was junk...seems to be doing fine though. gas milage already made a huge jump from roughly 200mi to a tank to 250 which was after the first fill up during the break in period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis ex24 Posted February 4, 2004 Author Share Posted February 4, 2004 2/4/04 - i have combined the other recent thread about the XT with this one...ill keep my info and progress with the car in this one rather than have a bunch of different ones flying around about the same car. the following was posted last month: well after 800 miles, shes about to quit already. a friend donated what we thought was a decent block but we were unsure of milage...he found it here at work and it looked basically brand new. it was solid and in shape aside from a little bit of cylinder wall rust. after the cylinders were honed and clean - the car went back together...for about 4 weeks. a few days ago i heard what i thought was a typical ea82T lifter tap, as the days went on the noise got progressively louder and more metallic. today i was over at the shop during lunch checking things out and its definatley a noise inside of the block, not the head or cam case. well at least now i can do the cams... ugh, thank god for EJ22s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis ex24 Posted February 4, 2004 Author Share Posted February 4, 2004 as listed in the posts above, the newest engine is coming back out. i havent figured out what went wrong yet, nor did i decide to try to repair the current block or risk installing a used one i just picked up. the new one looks OK, but then again so did the one we just put in there... the cams from delta cam in today with the specs included. they dont seem to be too radical but they look like a big improvement nevertheless on paper, i guess thats another story all in its own once its finally finished. anything is an improvement over stock and im hoping that the gains are more pronounced in this car because of the other stuff that has been done as well. hoping to begin on monday... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myxalplyx Posted March 13, 2004 Share Posted March 13, 2004 Anything new to add Dennis? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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