Gutting 2010 MS3

[drenkel]

Couldn't find any how-tos on this subject. Anyone done this yet?

Here's the list of what I've thought of so far:

Rear seat removal
Replacing front seats with racing seats
Remove stereo, speakers, subwoofer, amps ect
Remove AC system
Remove door panels
Remove center console
Remove spare tire and tools
Remove trunk lining and panels
Remove back seat panels

I'm thinking this should net at least 400-500 lbs.

Any other non-essential parts I'm missing that could be removed?

Thanks for the suggestions in advance!


EDIT:
Recommendations from other members:

1. Rear wiper & motor

[CCC]

Wow you are gonna cut up your 2010 like that? I've wanted to see one gutted, just could never do it to mine. Good luck, can't wait to see the results.

Maybe the rear windshield wiper and motor and all that could be removed? Not sure how much weight that would save though.

[drenkel]

Finally got the wife talked into letting me take my car to all out track setup. Gonna slap a GTX3071 on it as well as the weight reduction.


All it cost me was an $855 monthly payment to BMW for the family car

[WhoIsJeremy]

Most of what you posted will take like 30 minutes. I wouldn't mess with the headliner. It weighs maybe a pound and you won't be able to out it back in if you change your mind.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

[helmetface]

Sounds like you've got a good list going.



However, I don't think you'll see 400-500 lbs dropped.


What are your plans for the car? Straight lines?

[RedBliss]

I doubt you'll lose much. Most of the parts are cheap plastic as it is. Prolly net you like 200lbs at most. Not worth it.

[drenkel]

Originally Posted by helmetfail Sounds like you've got a good list going. However, I don't think you'll see 400-500 lbs dropped. What are your plans for the car? Straight lines?

Mostly drag, but I do plan on occasional autox. I will be getting suspension mods after I get the turbo build finished.

[drenkel]

Originally Posted by RedBliss I doubt you'll lose much. Most of the parts are cheap plastic as it is. Prolly net you like 200lbs at most. Not worth it.

It will be more than 200 lbs for sure. Just the rear seats and console should be 200 by itself. I'm not talking about replacing them with light weight seats.... I'm talking about removing them completely.

[helmetface]

Originally Posted by RedBliss I doubt you'll lose much. Most of the parts are cheap plastic as it is. Prolly net you like 200lbs at most. Not worth it.

If he's looking to go racecar mode..then it is definitely worth it.

Rear seats, spare tire removal and minimal gas..you'll get the best results right there.

But if OP wants to go further..for say another 100lbs total..I'm game to watch

[CCC]

I've always been told that the rear seats in this car weigh next to nothing, not sure how much the console weighs, but no way are those two things 200lbs.

[drenkel]

Guess well find out when I start the project. I'll weigh each part as it comes out and post it up in an info thread.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by drenkel Mostly drag, but I do plan on occasional autox.

It won't help you with AutoX, not if you want to be competitive anyway. Removing the interior bumps you up to Prepared category. If you're just going for fun and running against yourself, then I say go for it.

Are you going to cage it?

[RedBliss]

Door panels are literally like 5lbs. Trunk lining and plastics about the same. Most weight will be the rear seats and spare tire/tools/jack. If your gonna track it then yeah every pound is worth it. I just don't see 500lbs being lost with just those things removed. Can't go wrong with lightweight wheels tho that's something I would look into.

[helmetface]

Originally Posted by CCC I've always been told that the rear seats in this car weigh next to nothing, not sure how much the console weighs, but no way are those two things 200lbs.

Unless I missed it, No one said those two specific things would net 200lbs.

The rear seats are pretty light, but if you're gutting..its a good place to start.

[vrspeed10]

is it going to be track only?? than i would also take out the front wipers, wiper motor, power steering, fg rear hatch and plex rear window, carpeting, light weight battery and move it to the trunk.. any and all plastic crap under the hood.

[Vinnie]

i wanna see the results of this!

[Scoobs]

I did just that with the old ZX3, and I took out 250-270lbs. I moved the battery in the trunk, moving the weight to the back will help handling.

Also I had a OEM Carbon hood (painted to match the car, leaving it unpainted look too rice for my taste).

Good luck with you project, post pictures.

[CCC]

Originally Posted by helmetfail Unless I missed it, No one said those two specific things would net 200lbs. The rear seats are pretty light, but if you're gutting..its a good place to start.

Originally Posted by drenkel It will be more than 200 lbs for sure. Just the rear seats and console should be 200 by itself. I'm not talking about replacing them with light weight seats.... I'm talking about removing them completely.

But I do agree helmetfail, when gutting a car every little bit counts. I was just questioning if those two specific items would net the type of result the OP expected.

I am all for this, I don't think anyone has taken time to weigh each piece that can be removed, so it will be a great reference for other members. I would just be careful to keep the weight balance about the same as stock for handling.

[Breeze10]

I had the rear seat out a few times during stereo install, I'd say both parts combined they weight about 60 to 70 lbs. Factory stereo weighs next to nothing, the amp will weigh the most if you have the tech pkg.

[08cosmic3]

The rear bumper under the cover weighs about 30lbs I believe and can be removed. You can put the cover back on and it will look the same, just don't get hit there. Won't matter drag or autoX but could be dangerous if road coursing.

[JasonMzdSpd3]

Originally Posted by vrspeed10 is it going to be track only?? than i would also take out the front wipers, wiper motor, power steering, fg rear hatch and plex rear window, carpeting, light weight battery and move it to the trunk.. any and all plastic crap under the hood.

This plus what others have suggested...


My .002... Remove the gas tank. add a fuel pod. that will net the most weight lost IMO. As you stated just a track car. Might as well. Can slap a pod right in the spare tire well. 5 gal will more then enough for straight line. Just take a shade/cover with you in the car and setup a nice spot, and remove everything you take. Spare fuel, tools, jacks, etc...

GL, and I am subbing.


EDIT: come to think of a few more... Crash bars in the doors. few other odds and ends for safety stuff you probably won't need. Maybe even change out the steering wheel. Throw on some skinny's on the rear's.

[mrtheandrew]

if this is going to be track only, you could remove the airbag assemblies. from what i remember, the passenger one behind the dash is a pretty heavy unit by itself.

don't forget to get some lightweight wheels and tires as well.

[mazdamx3freak]

Also all sound deadening material can be removed and will be 10 - 20lbs. Including spare tire wheel well can be cut out and sheet metaled for cheap.

[crtguns]

Drenkel... Dont just give away hard earned information. Make them pay real money for your findings.

I did a drastic weight redux on my 08, and I'll be damend if any of these MSF assholes learn anything from my work and time.

Hint though... if you're willing to replace some necessary components with some more expensive (lightweight) parts (rather than just remove), you can lose almost 500 pounds.

[drenkel]

Originally Posted by crtguns Drenkel... Dont just give away hard earned information. Make them pay real money for your findings. I did a drastic weight redux on my 08, and I'll be damend if any of these MSF assholes learn anything from my work and time. Hint though... if you're willing to replace some necessary components with some more expensive (lightweight) parts (rather than just remove), you can lose almost 500 pounds.

The guys on this forum have helped me so much during my modding experience, it's the least I can do to assist with providing information about the weight reduction process. It will be my way of repaying all the assistance the other members here have provided me.

[rghispanic88]

ive removed the back seats, trunk stuff, spare tire. but not the panels or lining.

its pretty easy to remove that stuff.

The backs seats probably weight about 60lbs, that's the backrest, the cushion weights a lot less, may be 10 or 15 lbs. the spare tire, the jack, and its componets will be the most weight reduction.

the panels are very easy to remove as well.

id say you be looking at 300lbs of reduction at the most.

[rfinkle2]

If you can get a hold of username wrxified, he should be able to provide advice.

This pic is from his audio build thread.

[SofaKingAwesome]

Originally Posted by crtguns Drenkel... Dont just give away hard earned information. Make them pay real money for your findings. I did a drastic weight redux on my 08, and I'll be damend if any of these MSF assholes learn anything from my work and time. Hint though... if you're willing to replace some necessary components with some more expensive (lightweight) parts (rather than just remove), you can lose almost 500 pounds.

Don't listen to this douchebag.

@drenkel I can come up on the weekend maybe and tear some shit up with you. Are you going to replace body parts like hood/hatch?

[GoBackToSleep]

Subbed. Not that I would do this to my car since it's pretty much 100% a DD, but I am interested to see the weight of the various components and the progress of this weight reduction.

[drenkel]

Originally Posted by rfinkle2 If you can get a hold of username wrxified, he should be able to provide advice. This pic is from his audio build thread.

Awesome, thanks so much! That looks exactly like what I'm planning. I'll see if I can look him up.

Originally Posted by SofaKingAwesome Don't listen to this douchebag. @drenkel I can come up on the weekend maybe and tear some shit up with you. Are you going to replace body parts like hood/hatch?

Not right away, gonna start with removing stuff that don't cost $$$ first and see where that gets me. The cost of a carbon fiber hood is pretty pricey... I'm sure I could put that money somewhere else and net more power.

[rfinkle2]

Drenkel, thread if you need it here:
Full Audio Install, Deadening with Pictures

[Voltwings]

I removed my rear seats - trunk liner - spare jack and all that jazz + passenger seat for shits and giggles one night going to the Drag strip and it was like 100 lbs on the nose. Like other people have said, gutting the interior wont yield much, and our cars weigh like 3250 factory, Tri-point engineering with lighter suspension components/crashbars and everything is at 2700... You're going to have to do some major searching to find much over 200 lbs that can just be taken off the car. Also our cars suspension was dialed in with the factory weight in mind, if you start yanking weight off you'e going to have to start messing with the suspension because i'm willing to bet it wont be responding properly.

More to the original point of this post though, if you can't just look around and see what needs to come off maybe this isnt for you?? I decided two hours before we left for the track that i was gonna yank all that shit out and had PLENTY of time to do it... its pretty straight forward.