No Evo yet, but that doesn't stop the weight shedding!

Originally posted: 01-11-2011

So while the Evo is still up in Big Lake at the body shop getting the finishing touches put on the body work, I decided to start on some of the weight reduction.  As I mentioned before, I was not going to cut anything that at some point may have to be on the car to sell.  So to accomplish my needed weight reduction, I had to buy a second set of body panels to gut out.

First off, I picked up a second set of doors.  This allows me to interchange between the two.  Should I do a track day, and need to feel a little safer, I can replace the gutted doors with the original set and off I go.  After doing a little searching on Evolutionm.net, I found a nice set of graphite gray doors.  My car is the lighter apex gray, so a two-tone race car it is. :)

First step was to remove any interior mechanics and glass.  Again, I am trying to save anything I can.  I removed the window regulators and glass without cutting anything, as these parts could be sold or later used if anything broke in my original doors.

Then came the fun part!  The cutting!


After carefully removing the inner metal and door bars, I was left with a tossable door.  This is an early picture, but it gives you a good idea of what is left:

After this was taken, I removed the inside handle and rods, and also removed more of the metal around the latch.  I will post more pictures later.  I left the outer shell edges and curve in for additional strength.  I haven't decided yet if it is worth swiss-cheesing what is left of the inner edges for the couple ounces it might save.

After doing a side by side weigh, the gutted front door were 35lbs lighter each than stock, and the gutted rear door were 22lbs lighter.  This gives a total weight savings of 114lbs!  Now these weights do include the full size stock electric side mirrors.  The next step there, will be to remove them and replace them with motorcycle side mirrors.  Estimated weight savings is still unknown, but it has to be at least a pound per mirror.

-Next step is the carbon fiber hood and trunk.
-Mike