oksoi'm gonna swap some coupe doors on my verta couple issues first:
lighter is better; yes!coupe door r lighter,BUTless reinforced.so.my friends alwaays talk ish about vert weighing too much, verts being wet noodles, etcso i'm loosing weight but when using coupe doors I'm going to e losing some its rigidness; lighter yes, but looser now.has anyone welded their doors (yes, i kmnow this is hardcore, but my car is for fun, not nessesarily daily driver status so...)???
on another note but in the same boat (pun intended)
has anyone thought about taking out your convertible top assembly before? more weight loss...
door swappin fun!
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wirelessalpha
- Posts: 644
- Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2005 6:16 am
- Car: 93 SR Vert, 96 318ti, 06 Altima
Re: door swappin fun! (jrsink)
There is alot of info already on both these subjects in these forums...I don't wanna be that "d!ck" first responder and be like "search the forums noob" so I'm gonna give you this freebie
Aiite, from what I read so far from user AZHitman, the vert doors start as coupe doors...then has extra crap in them. Seems like there are mixed views on what exactly "more reinforcement" is. However, with that said, even with the coupe door swap, it will need some work. Heres the link that will take you to the magic spot:
zerothread?id=90488
About the weight:I hear the young guys around town say this kind of **** all the time. Don't worry about it. THe more money you got, the more power you can attain. Bottom line. In a fantasy world, everyone would have the same amount of money to put into their cars and then it would just be a matter of "skill of driver" + "actual potential limits of the vehicle you are driving". But this aint the fantasy world man - so get more loot and then you can talk the smack back to your buds.
Seriously though, who cares? I mean honestly, if you really cared enough about that kind of stuff then you wouldnt have bought a vert in the same place. Maybe you bought it b/c your on the same line as me:
1. it is still an s13 and you CAN swap a sr20 into it. It wont be as fast as a stock s13 hatchback with the swap, but again, more $$$ solves that problem. Thus, the potential is still there and its STILL A WAY better platform to start with than a civic.
2. Its a drop top. I know you've seen pics here and there online...even this forum is riddled with them. The car is, in my opinion, the most attractive 240sx out of the various models. I mean, who doesn't love a drop top?
3. You wanted something different and challenging (my main reason). Take it from me, a guy who has owned 8 cars over a period of 8 years...this is nice car. Good platform, easily modible, and "different". SHIFT_Diff my friend.
About the removal of top assembly and welding doors:
1. Leave the assembly and spent the time+money on other things. Calculate the loss of hp compared to other 240's b/c you have a vert and make that your goal to meet or exceed that number. Also, see my previous point #2.
Weld doors - wtf? You kidding right? naw man...that's not that hardcore man. What's hardcore is having a fast whip, and knowing how to handle it. How are you planning to get in/out? Dukes of Hazz style? (damn, I just saw that movie in my car on the way home from work - tonight). I don't know...it just seems so novelty-like. I mean, if you had a 5 speed swap...and a sr20 under the hood...and some race sponsers...yeah...but a stock car with welded doors? Just seems like too much trouble for nothing. If you are worried about stability of the car after the door mod, wouldnt it just be better to install a cage? That way you gain back your "lossed" reinforcement....then again..I'm not too keen on a cage in a vert...I don't know if it will look right...again, isn't that why alot of bought the verts in the first place? style?
- my 2 cents.
Oh btw, like I say in other responses. To each his own - so remember that whatver I say is just my opinion and I wouldnt want to force that on anyone...
Peace.
Aiite, from what I read so far from user AZHitman, the vert doors start as coupe doors...then has extra crap in them. Seems like there are mixed views on what exactly "more reinforcement" is. However, with that said, even with the coupe door swap, it will need some work. Heres the link that will take you to the magic spot:
zerothread?id=90488
About the weight:I hear the young guys around town say this kind of **** all the time. Don't worry about it. THe more money you got, the more power you can attain. Bottom line. In a fantasy world, everyone would have the same amount of money to put into their cars and then it would just be a matter of "skill of driver" + "actual potential limits of the vehicle you are driving". But this aint the fantasy world man - so get more loot and then you can talk the smack back to your buds.
Seriously though, who cares? I mean honestly, if you really cared enough about that kind of stuff then you wouldnt have bought a vert in the same place. Maybe you bought it b/c your on the same line as me:
1. it is still an s13 and you CAN swap a sr20 into it. It wont be as fast as a stock s13 hatchback with the swap, but again, more $$$ solves that problem. Thus, the potential is still there and its STILL A WAY better platform to start with than a civic.
2. Its a drop top. I know you've seen pics here and there online...even this forum is riddled with them. The car is, in my opinion, the most attractive 240sx out of the various models. I mean, who doesn't love a drop top?
3. You wanted something different and challenging (my main reason). Take it from me, a guy who has owned 8 cars over a period of 8 years...this is nice car. Good platform, easily modible, and "different". SHIFT_Diff my friend.
About the removal of top assembly and welding doors:
1. Leave the assembly and spent the time+money on other things. Calculate the loss of hp compared to other 240's b/c you have a vert and make that your goal to meet or exceed that number. Also, see my previous point #2.
Weld doors - wtf? You kidding right? naw man...that's not that hardcore man. What's hardcore is having a fast whip, and knowing how to handle it. How are you planning to get in/out? Dukes of Hazz style? (damn, I just saw that movie in my car on the way home from work - tonight). I don't know...it just seems so novelty-like. I mean, if you had a 5 speed swap...and a sr20 under the hood...and some race sponsers...yeah...but a stock car with welded doors? Just seems like too much trouble for nothing. If you are worried about stability of the car after the door mod, wouldnt it just be better to install a cage? That way you gain back your "lossed" reinforcement....then again..I'm not too keen on a cage in a vert...I don't know if it will look right...again, isn't that why alot of bought the verts in the first place? style?
- my 2 cents.
Oh btw, like I say in other responses. To each his own - so remember that whatver I say is just my opinion and I wouldnt want to force that on anyone...
Peace.
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slownslurious
- Posts: 1533
- Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2005 1:28 pm
if its a competition only car, defintely weld the doors and yank the top.. you'll prolly need a cage that renders the car impossible to get in and out of anyway, and the top probably won't close on the end result anyhow. so ditch it and save some weight and you can get in dukes of hazzard style.
I'm defintely at least getting a roll bar for mine but I'm hoping to keep the top, at least as long as the vert is my daily driver. If I get a second car I'll probably make a speedster cover and get a "bikini" cover for the cockpit area.
anyway I took my vert doors off for coupe doors, and then I converted the vert doors back into coupe doors for the new owner of the coupe, and I can attest that they are more or less the same inside. In fact, once you remove all the seatbelt **** and the steel plates welded in to mount it, the vert doors now have LESS reinforcement than the stock coupe doors. Trust me on this, I've become intimately acquainted with the inner workings of my coupe and my vert in the past few weeks.
I'm defintely at least getting a roll bar for mine but I'm hoping to keep the top, at least as long as the vert is my daily driver. If I get a second car I'll probably make a speedster cover and get a "bikini" cover for the cockpit area.
anyway I took my vert doors off for coupe doors, and then I converted the vert doors back into coupe doors for the new owner of the coupe, and I can attest that they are more or less the same inside. In fact, once you remove all the seatbelt **** and the steel plates welded in to mount it, the vert doors now have LESS reinforcement than the stock coupe doors. Trust me on this, I've become intimately acquainted with the inner workings of my coupe and my vert in the past few weeks.
Re: (slownslurious)
well...i gotta toyota camry for daily driving...and I'm about to invest in a car cover.yankage and welding first things first,custom cage next.i need to search something now...
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TurboChargedSE-R
- Posts: 106
- Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2005 5:50 am
- Car: 1993 Nissan SE-R with a BIG turbo
1993 Nissan 240SX convertible KA24DE-T - Contact:
Buy a coupe. That will solve all your problems.
Removing the top assembly from a convertible *might be* the most retarded item I have heard this week. The week is still young, so let's see what happens over the next four days.
Maybe you could de-pin your wiring harness, remove some of the unused wiring? That would save about 6 pounds. Every bit helps.
Yes, I'm being facetious.
Removing the top assembly from a convertible *might be* the most retarded item I have heard this week. The week is still young, so let's see what happens over the next four days.
Maybe you could de-pin your wiring harness, remove some of the unused wiring? That would save about 6 pounds. Every bit helps.
Yes, I'm being facetious.
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AZhitman
- Administrator
- Posts: 54538
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- Car: 58 L210, 63 Bluebird RHD, 64 NL320, 65 SPL310, 66 411 RHD, 67 WRL411, 68 510 SR20, 75 280Z RB25, 77 620 SR20, 79 B310, 90 Z32, 91 GTi-R, 92 Silvia Qs, 98 S14, 23 Z.
- Location: Surprise, Arizona
- Contact:
A convertible loses NO rigidity by switching to coupe doors.
My vert is AS rigid as a coupe (if not more so).
Put a corner of mine up on a jack and the doors still open. Did that so several coupes / hatches and the door gap shifts or even binds.
Nissan braced these things WELL.
Add a triangulated front strut tower brace and quit taking modification tips from your ricer friends. They know d!ck about these cars.
I'll probably remove (and store) my top assembly since my car is garaged and driven only for shows, photoshoots and to local meets (and it never rains here).
And it'll never be a track car, as it won't pass tech inspection, so don't try to make it something it's not...
My vert is AS rigid as a coupe (if not more so).
Put a corner of mine up on a jack and the doors still open. Did that so several coupes / hatches and the door gap shifts or even binds.
Nissan braced these things WELL.
Add a triangulated front strut tower brace and quit taking modification tips from your ricer friends. They know d!ck about these cars.
I'll probably remove (and store) my top assembly since my car is garaged and driven only for shows, photoshoots and to local meets (and it never rains here).
And it'll never be a track car, as it won't pass tech inspection, so don't try to make it something it's not...
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slownslurious
- Posts: 1533
- Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2005 1:28 pm
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Hijacker
- Posts: 14373
- Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2003 4:57 am
- Car: '92 240sx Convertible
'94 F-150 - Location: Fredericksburg, VA
if i were making a track car, it would be a base line coupe.
anyways, all the bracing in the door is to keep your butt in the seat when you get into a collision. When the car goes from 35 to naught in a split second, your body momentum would rip the seatbelts right off of that door without the extra bracing.
anyways, all the bracing in the door is to keep your butt in the seat when you get into a collision. When the car goes from 35 to naught in a split second, your body momentum would rip the seatbelts right off of that door without the extra bracing.
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slownslurious
- Posts: 1533
- Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2005 1:28 pm
seriously yes. and when you cut it off, there is a normal coupe door panel underneath, only its been cut down to even less than a normal door panel. I could not find ANY structural bracing that runs the width of the door (ie anything that would make the structure more rigid). its all there for the various mounting points for the seatbelts.
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wirelessalpha
- Posts: 644
- Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2005 6:16 am
- Car: 93 SR Vert, 96 318ti, 06 Altima
Re: (TurboChargedSE-R)
oh man..that was a bit harsh. FUNNY AS ****. But a bit harsh.
My two cents again:
1) Like I always say - to each his own. If you want to remove the top assembly, then goddamn it, do it! But IMO, that doesn't sound a bit too much.
2) seriously though, and I make this point again - its hard to have a vehicle that sits in the middle ground. In other words, if you wanted a hardcore - semi wannabe track car - then you should have got a coupe. Lighter, easier to work with, more of stronger knowledge base out there.
3) yeah, stop listening to your ricer friends. Your car is like your sword man - hone it the way you want it.
4) seriously though, everyone here cares that much about safety? If it's time to go then it's time to go. shieeeet. Put the coupe doors on, or convert your vert doors, and get some race harnesses and some race seats (ps slownslurious: I didn't get a chance this weekend to pull the seats, I'll have to try sometime this week) and then call it a day. Leave it at that.
5) have a nice day!
My two cents again:
1) Like I always say - to each his own. If you want to remove the top assembly, then goddamn it, do it! But IMO, that doesn't sound a bit too much.
2) seriously though, and I make this point again - its hard to have a vehicle that sits in the middle ground. In other words, if you wanted a hardcore - semi wannabe track car - then you should have got a coupe. Lighter, easier to work with, more of stronger knowledge base out there.
3) yeah, stop listening to your ricer friends. Your car is like your sword man - hone it the way you want it.
4) seriously though, everyone here cares that much about safety? If it's time to go then it's time to go. shieeeet. Put the coupe doors on, or convert your vert doors, and get some race harnesses and some race seats (ps slownslurious: I didn't get a chance this weekend to pull the seats, I'll have to try sometime this week) and then call it a day. Leave it at that.
5) have a nice day!
Re: (slownslurious)
this guy gets my drift...slownslurious wrote:if its a competition only car, defintely weld the doors and yank the top.. you'll prolly need a cage that renders the car impossible to get in and out of anyway, and the top probably won't close on the end result anyhow. so ditch it and save some weight and you can get in dukes of hazzard style.
I'm defintely at least getting a roll bar for mine but I'm hoping to keep the top, at least as long as the vert is my daily driver. If I get a second car I'll probably make a speedster cover and get a "bikini" cover for the cockpit area.
anyway I took my vert doors off for coupe doors, and then I converted the vert doors back into coupe doors for the new owner of the coupe, and I can attest that they are more or less the same inside. In fact, once you remove all the seatbelt **** and the steel plates welded in to mount it, the vert doors now have LESS reinforcement than the stock coupe doors. Trust me on this, I've become intimately acquainted with the inner workings of my coupe and my vert in the past few weeks.
Re: (TurboChargedSE-R)
this guy does not...TurboChargedSE-R wrote:Buy a coupe. That will solve all your problems.
Removing the top assembly from a convertible *might be* the most retarded item I have heard this week. The week is still young, so let's see what happens over the next four days.
Maybe you could de-pin your wiring harness, remove some of the unused wiring? That would save about 6 pounds. Every bit helps.
Yes, I'm being facetious.
Re: (jrsink)
pics soon...
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wirelessalpha
- Posts: 644
- Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2005 6:16 am
- Car: 93 SR Vert, 96 318ti, 06 Altima
Re: (jrsink)
well, you didn't really say it was gonna be comp-only car...and you didn't say it was def gonna be daily driver.
So, if it is going to be a comp-only car, then do what you got to do. But if you even have the slightest idea that you will be riding it on the street - then, why go thru the hassle of removing the top assembly? That's like stealing the mojo from APowers man!
A vert without a vert is not a vert - and if a vert was missing a vert, then would it still be a vert? Think of the hurt you would do on the vert - hurt vert is no good to me. Then what would it be wort? A hurt vert not wort the the cost of a vert, not hurt, which would be wort.
holla.
"(yes, i kmnow this is hardcore, but my car is for fun, not nessesarily daily driver status so...)"
So, if it is going to be a comp-only car, then do what you got to do. But if you even have the slightest idea that you will be riding it on the street - then, why go thru the hassle of removing the top assembly? That's like stealing the mojo from APowers man!
A vert without a vert is not a vert - and if a vert was missing a vert, then would it still be a vert? Think of the hurt you would do on the vert - hurt vert is no good to me. Then what would it be wort? A hurt vert not wort the the cost of a vert, not hurt, which would be wort.
holla.
"(yes, i kmnow this is hardcore, but my car is for fun, not nessesarily daily driver status so...)"
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TurboChargedSE-R
- Posts: 106
- Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2005 5:50 am
- Car: 1993 Nissan SE-R with a BIG turbo
1993 Nissan 240SX convertible KA24DE-T - Contact:
Re: (jrsink)
Summation: Boost controller > removing stuff from your car to make it lighter.jrsink wrote:
this guy does not...
IMHO. YMMV. And all that.
Re: (wirelessalpha)
...and I LOVE this guy! LMAO
wirelessalpha wrote:well, you didn't really say it was gonna be comp-only car...and you didn't say it was def gonna be daily driver.
So, if it is going to be a comp-only car, then do what you got to do. But if you even have the slightest idea that you will be riding it on the street - then, why go thru the hassle of removing the top assembly? That's like stealing the mojo from APowers man!
A vert without a vert is not a vert - and if a vert was missing a vert, then would it still be a vert? Think of the hurt you would do on the vert - hurt vert is no good to me. Then what would it be wort? A hurt vert not wort the the cost of a vert, not hurt, which would be wort.
holla.
"(yes, i kmnow this is hardcore, but my car is for fun, not nessesarily daily driver status so...)"
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wirelessalpha
- Posts: 644
- Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2005 6:16 am
- Car: 93 SR Vert, 96 318ti, 06 Altima
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nissanconvert
- Posts: 286
- Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2005 8:12 pm
- Car: 94 300zx Convertible 5 speed
- Contact:
if you do take the top out i could find a use for the weatherstripping $$[email protected]