Preping the vert for race!

[droptop-sr20]

So im just finishing up my motor build for my 94 vert and ive decided to use this car primarily for track (some drift if possible/mostly drag) and i wanted to hear some facts/ opinions on weight reduction and what not! I was thinking about taking out the hydraulic top motor and lines. Would i be able to put the top up and down manualy? Also i was planning on changing the doors to coupe doors and the normal gutting/removal of sound deadening! Is there any other things you senior vert owner would do to lighten/make this chassis a track beast? any ifo would be greatly appreciated!

p.s 10's are my goal for the car on drag radials

[droptop-sr20]

nobody likes to race prep their verts?

[ishkabibble]

A vert can only lose so much weight because there is extra chassis bracing welded to the unibody. Also, it's not as aerodynamic as a hardtop. Plus, if you're running 10s in a vert, you better have a roll cage welded in.

I respect people who build competition verts, but I'd rather start with a better foundation (S13 hardtop). Verts were meant for cruising, not being track cars.

[droptop-sr20]

A vert can only lose so much weight because there is extra chassis bracing welded to the unibody. Also, it's not as aerodynamic as a hardtop. Plus, if you're running 10s in a vert, you better have a roll cage welded in.

I respect people who build competition verts, but I'd rather start with a better foundation (S13 hardtop). Verts were meant for cruising, not being track cars.

I originaly had all of my set up in a black fasback that i absolutely loved but i totaled it. After months of looking for a new 240 to put my set up in i stumbled across my 94 vert from some old guy selling it for $400 running and driving and i couldnt pass up that deal! As for a cage i just ordered all the materials to make an 8 point to day!

[DeXteR]

personally, i think if you picked that vert up for $400, you should just count that your new daily driver and try to find another hatchback or a coupe.

there is a substantial amount of extra weight (as has all ready been stated) from strengthening the chassis. not only that, but are you even allowed to run 10's in a convertible?

however, if you're dead set on drage racing your vert, it's your call and i'm no one to tell you otherwise. you bought it, you might as well love it regardless of what you decide to do with it.

anyways, normal gutting like you'd do with any car. there's a lot of extra metal behind the driver seat that you could probably just cut right out. also, yes, the convertible top can be operated manually if you remove all the lines, rams, pumps, etc. for the top. skin the trunk and hood. remove the bumpers. remove hvac compressors, condensors, ducting, and related items. remove all unneccessary wiring. a guy i know who was building a drift car removed about 25-30 pounds of wire and loom. make sure the doors you get have manual locks and windows, then you can get rid of all those related parts too - wires, switches, relays, etc. if you're not streeting the car, remove the headlight assemblies and just weld the light covers to your hood and fill as necessary. tubular subframes would save you a ton of weight. maybe even consider revising the top. maybe you could make your own frame for it so it comes off and on like a hard top. that way you could remove a lot of the moving parts associated with the top. dont' know if that would work, but it's something i thought of.

all right, that might be a bit of a ramble, but i was just typing things as i thought of them. hope that helps.

oh yeah, if you want, i'll come pick that car up from you for $600 and you can use that to buy a new coupe/hatch

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

I was thinking about taking out the hydraulic top motor and lines. Would i be able to put the top up and down manualy?

Yes.

[slownslurious]

if you leave the stock top on and take out the hydraulic pump you may need to strap the top down when its down, mine will bounce up when I hit bumps and if I've got 100 mph on it, it catches the air like a parachute and pulls itself up.

[DeXteR]

if you leave the stock top on and take out the hydraulic pump you may need to strap the top down when its down, mine will bounce up when I hit bumps and if I've got 100 mph on it, it catches the air like a parachute and pulls itself up.

wow, i never had problems like that with my top and all of my automatic top equipment was removed. i had my car well into the triple digits on a few occasions. 90+mph cruising on the highway was pretty regular. never had issues with the top. nor the windshield washers for that matter...

[slownslurious]

mine bounces when its down... I dunno... I dont plan to leave it in much longer though.

for now I run a rubber strap over it to keep it down.