Lightening a BC Legacy

Autocross, Rallycross, ProRally, Drag, WRC, F1 etc...

Moderators: Helpinators, Moderators

Post Reply
MConte05
Second Gear
Posts: 380
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:50 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO

Lightening a BC Legacy

Post by MConte05 »

As some of you know, I have a 94 Legacy Sport that I got fully built into a rally car. It is a beast, but I will be down on power as I will not be running a turbo, so the best way to get acceleration (and improve everything else) is to drop weight.

I've already gone through most of the essentials:

- Removed complete AC system, including condenser inside the cabin
- Removed cruise control
- Removed every trace of sound deadening
- Removed all of the interior except for the dash and front door cards
- Removed any non-essential accessories (radio, antenna, associated wiring)
- Will be getting a lighter weight battery


However, I want to know if there are any other tricks on these cars for reducing weight? Are there large bumper beams that I can drop? Lighter hoods I can buy somewhere? Has anyone gutted the rear doors and put lexan in place?

Looking to drop another 100lbs or so off the car. Still need to take it to the scales to see what I am weighing in at, but I know it will be a porker compared to the 93 Impreza L's I am facing....
dscoobydoo
Fifth Gear
Posts: 2275
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2004 2:30 am
Location: Auburn, WA
Contact:

Re: Lightening a BC Legacy

Post by dscoobydoo »

If you have someone who can do welding, the front and rear bumpers can be cut to lose 10-20 each depending on what you keep. Not much else you can lose. Might consider dumping the sunroof, as it is 15 lbs.
Yes I have too many Subarus
No you can't have one
05 GD-STI
01- RS- Swapped-07 STI
00- GF
93 SS- "the original Robtune" (now in new hands)
MConte05
Second Gear
Posts: 380
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:50 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO

Re: Lightening a BC Legacy

Post by MConte05 »

That already is gone, a sheet metal plate is riveted/caulked into place with some roof vents. :)
SILINC3R
quasi-mod-o
quasi-mod-o
Posts: 2763
Joined: Wed May 30, 2007 6:11 am
Location: Charlotte, NC

Re: Lightening a BC Legacy

Post by SILINC3R »

Aluminum control arms, wheels.
Tony
90 LS Spec rio red sold
91 SS rio red R.I.P
90 Mazda Miata
2005 GT SWP
92ss satinsvoice wrote:LOL! that block was like F*** THIS! IM OUT!
mike-tracy wrote:Word. I'd love to get my hands on one of those trannies, but I just can't stomach the cost
kimokalihi
Fifth Gear
Posts: 8360
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:41 am
Location: Tenino, WA

Re: Lightening a BC Legacy

Post by kimokalihi »

dscoobydoo wrote:If you have someone who can do welding, the front and rear bumpers can be cut to lose 10-20 each depending on what you keep. Not much else you can lose. Might consider dumping the sunroof, as it is 15 lbs.
Its gotta be closer to 45.
98 Metro Hatch Daily Driver :)
91 SS EJ20G Engine/Tranny/Diff Swap Build Thread Here
"Your testes are close to your bottom but you still play with them all the time." Jeremy Clarkson
evolutionmovement
Knowledgeable
Knowledgeable
Posts: 9809
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2003 11:20 pm
Location: Beverly, MA

Re: Lightening a BC Legacy

Post by evolutionmovement »

The aluminum control arms will save negligible weight and aren't cheap. I have them and they're not terribly light. They appear to be strong as a mother, though. The bumper beams are definitely heavy and being at the ends, those are good places to lose weight. Since you'll be caged, I imagine, depending on rules, you can lose as much of the beams as you feel comfortable chopping off. The bumper cover only needs the outer rings of the upper and lower forward extensions to mount to. Do they let you replace glass with plastic?
Midnight in a Perfect World on Amazon or order anywhere. The first book in a quartet chronicling the rise of a man from angry criminal to philanthropist. Midnight... is a distopic noirish novel featuring 'Duchess', a modified 1990 Subaru Legacy wagon.
MConte05
Second Gear
Posts: 380
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:50 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO

Re: Lightening a BC Legacy

Post by MConte05 »

I have a set of Al Control arms sitting in my garage for my GD WRX, but typically the steel ones are better for rally I have heard.

I will definitly be looking into taking the bumpers off and getting to the bumper beams. They do allow for plastic/lexan windows, which I would like to do on the rear windscreen and rear windows. Does anyone have any pictures of gutted Legacy/Impreza doors for the rear? The fronts will be left alone.

Thoughts on removing parts of the supporting structure for the hood and trunk?
beatersubi
Fifth Gear
Posts: 2385
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:56 am
Location: 10-9-oh(!), wa

Re: Lightening a BC Legacy

Post by beatersubi »

I removed the bracing on the underside of the hood on my chumpcar project. Its really flimsy with out it. Also gutted the rear doors, but plan to fix them shut once the cage is in.
Undercoating is another good place to shed some weight. That stuff is thick, nasty, and heavy. Kinda like my first junior high school girlfriend.
93 legacy wagon L, 22T swapped (TW imitator) now with five forward speeds. (Gone, but never forgotten)
johndrivesabox wrote: Rally, my kyboard is brok, his has nohing o do wih h liquor.
Originalcyn wrote:Apparently everyone hates Gabe.
05SRT
First Gear
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Sep 23, 2011 11:15 am
Location: Seattle

Re: Lightening a BC Legacy

Post by 05SRT »

Get a hole saw and plasma cutter and have fun. Pull all the trunk stuff and get exterior latches. Gutting the doors. If its not a support cut it out and replace it with the thinnest AL you can find. It really just depends on how extreme you want to go.

I love making cars lighter. Its fun and rewarding. Believe it or not wiring weighs a ton. Pull all your stereo wiring, a/c control, heat, lights no longer in the car. I know of people pulling 20-25 lbs of harness out of their cars.

Just look around and ask yourself the question. Do i need that? If the answer is no cut it out.
-Lindsay-
2005 SRT-4-Track Slut
1991 Legacy SS-DD/Tinker Toy
Post Reply