[macustoms]

Being a recent Honda enthusiast and taking trips to local track days (Lime Rock Park) and all sorts of Autocross events with the SCCA I found that weight can make a huge difference. Now owning a wonderfull Saab 9-3 SS im having trouble deciding what I want to do with it.
Recently the lady in my life decided I needed a new project, we had been discussing the Saab needing regular maintenance but that I wanted to take my saab a step father. For a while I was thinking show with a little go as it is a vehilce that you do not see at many shows which helps big time in the judging. Some things were bothering me like the small list of aftermarket parts, lack of major interior options with out having to do custom work and no real exterior cosmetics worht buying ( i know their is a front bumper but its fiberglass and if I want to have a track day fiberglass would be shattered guaranteed) So i started looking at tuning options and with Maptun and such you can get a decent amount of horsepower out of the car but you still have that pwoer to weight ratio issue that I did not have with my gutted and modified Honda. Now because this is a saab I have decided no way I could just gut my car no way no how so I have been looking at options on removing weight. If i do decide to go for both show and go I will build a customer removable subwoofer system with the amps and all in my trunk as I did with my civic so stock amps would be gone! But what other options does the saab have for removing weight besides gutting the interior? No real carbon fiber parts out that are worth it although it seems so many people are interested in these forums its a possibliity. Really im jus tlooking for weight saving options like removing the Onstar although i have been told it causes issues. If anyone has ideas please post as it will aid in what i decide to start doing to the car this spring. Either way I will beign a build thread in the next couple weeks as I decide on parts and begin to spend my hard earned cash.

 

[volcomstone2262]

First thing you could do is remove the spare, relocate the battery to the trunk and then remove the battery tray/clear up space in the engine bay.

Then lighter wheels, removing the plastic liners underneath, remove fogs/front black facia.

Thats about all I can think of for now with still keeping the cars interior good.

 

[9-3gotboostAERO]

Removing most electrical components will cause a lot of issues and its def. not worth it.

For track days I remove my spare tire, my audio system, and my back seats.
Eventually I build a false floor expanding my trunk and no longer have rear seats.
Also in mind for the future is lighter seats. Our seats way A LOT, especially since there heated and move in every possible way. Only prob is you'll have to wire in resistors for the airbags so no fault codes come up.

 

[Dex4]

Light weight battery and relocate to the trunk.
Racing Seats
Light weight Racing Rims
Keep only about 1/4 of gas in the tank.

 

[toplessFC3Sman]

Its probably not a good idea to remove the plastic liners under the car; these are usually used to help ducting through the radiator and manage airflow under the car at speed to minimize lift and drag. For their weight, they are very helpful

 

[saint.faustus]

pull the seats, carpet, all interior, remove all hvac components, power steering....

 

[9-3gotboostAERO]

if you wanna deal with annoying messages every time you start the car you can do the above

 

[saint.faustus]

haha he asked how to shave weight not how to avoid sid messages

 

[mikesul]

Or you could buy a another car that has all sorts of C-F parts for it. Why take a nice car and screw it up?

 

[AE86]

Or you could buy a another car that has all sorts of C-F parts for it. Why take a nice car and screw it up?

Yes!.Unless it's going to be a real track car.

 

[afinley]

If you're interested in Autocross, you're already getting destroyed in your class. If you start pulling your back seats youll be in an even worse class.

 

[pacotaco]

just pull the dam seats lol they weigh close to 100 to 200 pounds combined. we are also currently in the works of getting new carbon fiber parts both made and brought over here there is a cf hood but right now we are on wait for more information. i do not advise pulling you sound system crap you will get error messages and stuff i would say rewire the system if you wanted to do that

 

[AE86]

Replace as much as you can with carbon fiber. Not like A/C vents...
Like Hood, trunk, etc. Light wheels. Other than that, you just gonna have to get rid of the back seat and the spare tire.
I wouldn't bother with the carpet and trim. That's no good, unless you're building a track car. . Good Luck. Let us know what you've done

 

[9-3gotboostAERO]

as long as the amps are still intact you shouldnt throw codes removing your stock speakers from the car.
I took my system out, all thats in the car is the dash speakers

 

[macustoms]

Sorry all this is a quick messy return message, at work and wicked busy just wanted to update. I have a body shop guy from my auction house looking over the car to see where else I may be able to just shed some weight even if it involves cutting up some parts.


First....I understand its a nice car, luxurios and all that other fun stuff but that makes it more fun when building a autocross/daily driver. I got sick of Hondas sure CF everything, but drive down the road for 2 miles and you see 10-15 and probalbly half of them are modified.

If i start autocross im going to do stage by stage so I am not getting screwed in the classes we handle. I looked through the classes so stage 1 for me would be maptun intake filter, downpipe, exhaust, suspension upgrades, and a stage 1-3 tune from Maptun. I am not 100% sure where this would fall but Im sure I can run good with my driving techniques. After a few events if I like the way the Saab runs then ill go for the next stage and start chomping big weight. My stereo is already removable and I am going to switch out all my speakers for some focal polyglass which should shed a lb or 2 maybe lol. Spair tire will get removed and stuff but this is all regular stuff. I am not going to remove my fog lights, front grille, etc. I will be shaving some wieght on rims but believe the Volk TE37 that i love so much will be too leight for this car. I will test this theory soon though unless I really decide to be different and pick up those oldschool Hirsch 3 point blade style rims lol.

I may look into relocating the battery tonight but with a saab it may be difficult due to all the electrical wires running to just the battery. I will let everyone know how this looks.

Rear seats? Are they easy or hard anyone knows how let me know it will aid in me re running the battery wires as well.

Thank you everyone for your input I will put a list up soon of everything I will be removing permantly and anythign removable for just track days that I can find.

 

[9-3gotboostAERO]

very easy to remove the back seats. Skip maptun
waste of money

Genuinesaab.com is where you wanna look performance wise

 

[macustoms]

very easy to remove the back seats. Skip maptun
waste of money

Genuinesaab.com is where you wanna look performance wise

Why is maptun a waste of money.......look at the PPC tuning does not get anywhere near what Maptun can get, maptun even has a new fan, turbo, manifold, and pistons to ensure your getting greater power and its stable

PM on your thoughts about Maptun vs the other companys any input is good i may even make a large post once i get home with a versus of Maptun and the others and see what we can find

 

[9-3gotboostAERO]

Look at maptun's costs.
Its nuff said...

we dont drive ferrari's, Im not dishing out $6500 for a compressor wheel and a tune lmao

 

[Rennsport1]

Does removing the Onstar box cause issues ?

 

[macustoms]

Look at maptun's costs.
Its nuff said...

we dont drive ferrari's, Im not dishing out $6500 for a compressor wheel and a tune lmao

Yeah but you have to look at it this way you pay more money for a better product. Its like going out and buying a $50 CAI for a honda civic, you end up sucking water on a rainy day because you didnt smend the $250+ for a AEM CAI with a small valve for water in it

Really its all personal preference, from what I have read here I have not seen many with a Stage 3 BSR tune but find a lot of Europe has stage 4+ Maptun installed. I am still in the research phase as I do nothing with out thouroughly investigating it, made the mistake once wont make it again (blew 2 Honda B16 Civic SI engines in a months time because the cheap cam gears i bought would not stay in the correct position)

Now that I have the go ahead on this project from the GF going to do my research and you should see a nice post about the comparisons i find so I can get some feedback.