Sound Dampening removal..S13

[abstrakt01]

I already tried a search on google and here but came up with nothing. I need some information on removing the sound dampening materials from the S13..To loose some weight. I want to do this so any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[05m0515]

wel, its really easy. in the 86 it weighs about 40 lbs.
just get some dry ice at any place they sell fish and set it on a section, then take a putty knife or chisel and hack away at it.

[mranlet]

This has already been covered on here somwhere.

Dry ice and a chisel is the best way, but be careful not to damage the floor pan.

-MR

[GRiDRaceTech]

If it's anything like the sound deadening in a BMW 325i, you could also leave the car in a very sunny area on a hot day and let it get absolutely scorching in there, then go at it with a putty scraper or other sharp object. A heat gun could work too.

Personally, I like the dry ice idea more because it's a PITA working in a scorching car.

[slideways2004]

where exaclty is all the sound deadning material , hopefully it's not everywhere

[nissanguy_24]

Its under all the carpet and stuff. I just pulled back my carpet and began removing it, Alot of my anti fire and sound deadening stuff up front was hard and cracked so i just pulled it out.. I need to do the whole car though.

[Ichi-Go]

I was wondering how much louder the car is without it. Also could you spray some sort of rubberized undercoating on to help deaden sound but that doesnt weigh to much.

Thanks for the answers.

[bmw325e30]

yup, removing sound deadening with a putty scraper definitely sucks, I'm currently doing that with my brother's porsche 911 racecar project

[nissanguy_24]

Well remove the back seat and stuff first. If you can live with the sound then the sound deadening material isnt much worse. If you cant then leave it all there lol... Honestly S13s dont have the best sound deadening material, they are pretty bare bones you know.

[Ichi-Go]

Sounds like Nissan was trying to save a little money on the 240. Somebody should do a decibal reading on no deadening, deadening, no carpet, no seats, with carpet but no deadening. That would be sweet but i guess im just asking to much. If i am so *Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored* for a loud car then I will leave my sound deadening.

[nissanguy_24]

The enemy of performance is weight. When my 240 comes back out it should be even more stripped.

[mranlet]

With the same effort there is more that can be done to save weight...

I've made lists on here before of what you can do to shave fat, but honestly sound deadening is low on my lists.

-MR

[nissanguy_24]

ill take it all personally.. im trying to find one of your list, but you know the search engine.. eh anyways any post you can point me to specificly man?

heres some..

Originally posted by mranlet
Several supplementary points of fat-trimming:

-There are a lot of manufacturers that will make lexan windows for you. Replacing that heavy hatch and side windows would save you a whole lot of weight. If all else fails, pop out the stock windows (save the rubber surrounds) and cut your own out from Home Depot's lexan sheets - don't use that acrylic stuff though, it tends to sag when it gets warm.
-The hood is simple enough that with very rudamentary molding skills, you could make your own fiberglass (or even carbon fiber) hood with extra-thin material. Old school hot rodders would often build a frame out of pencil wire and stretch a black canvas tarp over it and then give it a thin coat of 50/50 elmer's glue and water, making it waterproof and stiff.
-Eliminating the remote hatch release and replacing the stock hood release with aluminum hood pins will save a few pounds.
-Remove the plastic inner-fender splashguards and put on a thin coating of truck bed liner (to prevent rusting).
-Tear out the headliner, sun visors (use sunglasses if you live in a bright area), glove box, any interior panels (a CF/fiberglass dash can be made easily).
-For better safety, chassis stiffness, and weight savings you could bolt in an aluminum tube just behind the front seats at shoulder heght and attach racing harnesses to it and scrap the stock seatbelt systems.
-Aftermarket lighweight adjustable shocks are better than stock ones on so many levels (no pun intended)
-The lightest wheels possible will make braking and suspension systems operate much more efficiently, since mass versus angular momentum is an exponantial relationship. If you can get a wheel that saves 10 lbs over your stock one, x4 is 40 lbs plus the additional conservation of energy while the car is in motion, which aren't as easy to calculate.

If you're planning a drift only project, you can also ditch the turn signals, front and rear bumper supports, catalytic converter, door locks, window cranks and tracks.

From here it's a matter of whether you are willing to fabricate and substitute a utliltarian tubular frame for unit-body elements which tend to use way more material than needed.

-MR

[panda_3ight_6]

If you're planning a drift only project, you can also ditch the turn signals, front and rear bumper supports, catalytic converter, door locks, window cranks and tracks.

If you plan on drifting in a comp, that car will be illegal. According to most rules, your car needs to be street leagl, turnsignals and all, also catalytic converters.

I just recently read somone on here saying, somthing of paint... I personally think that wouldnt save that much weight. But if every ounce counts then take it all off... also, Lightweight or Drilled Bolts. Thats a classic almost needed in a race car.

I personally just ripped all that sound deading crap off with a mudd knife, but i didnt hear about dry ice.

Another way to shave weight is, drilling holes in everything that isnt structly important. You could also dump the dash too.

[nissanguy_24]

removing the dash in a S13 will leave you with ALOT of room. I've had mine out before.. abit ugly though.

[Craftsman]

Originally posted by nissanguy_24
removing the dash in a S13 will leave you with ALOT of room. I've had mine out before.. abit ugly though.

Hahaa... You're the man...

I could never live with ugly car... I can live with nasty and stripped car, but not ugly...

Matt.

[Velvet]

Originally posted by panda_3ight_6

I just recently read somone on here saying, somthing of paint... I personally think that wouldnt save that much weight. But if every ounce counts then take it all off... also, Lightweight or Drilled Bolts. Thats a classic almost needed in a race car.

I was watching a show about the Pre-War German racecars and they said that when a car was too heavy to be in a race they would strip all the paint off the car to save a couple pounds. The cars had the silver of the bare metal. I think it was Auto Union or Benz that did this. And that is why you see so many silver German racecars from the past and the present.

[blargonator]

some people make carbon fiber doors for skylines so people probably make them for other cars.

what about the weight distribution though? because it seems ilke you should not just strip random things like all of the sound deadning stuff but maybe just in specic areas. i am not really sure.

[nissanguy_24]

weight distribution wont be effected too bad, especialy sence most of the interior stuff is so close to the middle of the car and not that heavy, Besides if your running stock suspension it wont mater too much. Too much body roll to be woried about it lol.

[blargonator]

yeah. i dont even want to spend any money on sound stuff anyways. i could have a tapedeck for all i care. i dont like the radio so that will be gone. there are so many tiny parts that can be replaced even power windows take up a lot of weight, shift boots or whatever. i personally would not go that far though. oh another thing is the antenna. but that can also be used as protection. (never know when crazies might attack)

[Ichi-Go]

Does anybody know how much the side windows weigh. It would be easy to make lexan windows for those. Also what does lexan do when crushed or broken like in a crash. You wouldnt want a bunch of sharp plastic peices if you every wrecked.

[TireFrier]

heat gun and gasket scraper. but i warn you, removing sound deadening material is a pain in the *Censored**Censored**Censored* and its sticky and messy and not very fun. i did it in my mustang, took a few days just because i would get soo bored picking at that *Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored*, and i didn't have a heat gun, just a blowdryer. hahahah

[Tighty_wh1tey]

what about taking the front bumper off? ive seen alot of people do that. i think its more becasue they dont want to break thier nice new body kits but it would save weight too.

removing the grill on some cars would help lighten things up too as well as removing the rear window wipers off of the s13 for example and the motor. might even take out your windshielf wiper fluid tank if you dont need it. theres alot of stuff you can do to the engine to lighten it up like remove ac compressor. and replace heavy cast iron parts for alluminum.

[sr ^Drifter]

I was watching a show about the Pre-War German racecars and they said that when a car was too heavy to be in a race they would strip all the paint off the car to save a couple pounds. The cars had the silver of the bare metal. I think it was Auto Union or Benz that did this. And that is why you see so many silver German racecars from the past and the present.

LoL i think they saved weight from the paint because it prolly had led in it.....

[Ziptyed]

On my supra, I'm just taking out the spare tire,and everything from the front seats back, out. except for the carpet, and plastic trim. And then I'm just getting a recaro speed seat for the driver(no passenger seat), an autopower roll bar, and a willans, 4 point harness.