No Door Trims In R34 Gt-r At The Track?

[xanavinismo]

Hi all,

This is a bit out there but do you guys reckon it would be a bad idea to take out both door trims (save more weight) if I only use my R34 GT-R at the track/weekend warrior? Or is that just too dangerous??

I got this idea when I saw pics of Hi-Octane's R35 GT-R which competed in Targa 2008?

http://www.gtrblog.com/wp-content/uploads/...nterior-001.JPG

http://www.gtrblog.com/wp-content/uploads/...nterior-002.JPG

Cheers,

Edited March 2, 2010 by xanavinismo

[Yo-Yo]

the weight saving benefits wouldn't be all that significant imo if you take out just the door trims, in the case of high octane's gtr they're in competition so it's logical to try & get every last bit of advantage no matter how insignificant, but if it's just for track & not driven on the street a whole lot then why not?

if someone hits you on your side is the damage going to be any less if you don't have a moulded piece of plastic there? (genuine question, I'd really like to know if there are any safety benefits of having the door trims in a side collision)

but then you'd want a roll cage to be safer, adds weight

so then you'd need to take out all the interior trims, sound deadening, replace all windows with lexan yadayada

its a vicious cycle ;p

[mmm_goose]

Leave them in. They only weigh a couple of kilos and they protect you from jags of metal in the event of a side-on collision. Also, unless you get towed to the track, isn't it defectable to have them removed?

Edited March 2, 2010 by mmm_goose

[xanavinismo]

the weight saving benefits wouldn't be all that significant imo if you take out just the door trims, in the case of high octane's gtr they're in competition so it's logical to try & get every last bit of advantage no matter how insignificant, but if it's just for track & not driven on the street a whole lot then why not?

if someone hits you on your side is the damage going to be any less if you don't have a moulded piece of plastic there? (genuine question, I'd really like to know if there are any safety benefits of having the door trims in a side collision)

but then you'd want a roll cage to be safer, adds weight

so then you'd need to take out all the interior trims, sound deadening, replace all windows with lexan yadayada

its a vicious cycle ;p

Hmmm yeah well I've actually taken a fair amount of stuff out of my car already...

• Air con system/Condenser
  
• Both Air bags
  
• Interior trim/carpet etc
  
• Roof lining
  
• Rear seats + Seat belts
  
• Passenger seat + Seat belt
  
• Stereo/Speakers
  
• Glove box
  
• Boot interior
  
• Spare tyre
  
• And pretty much anything that I dont need/use to make the car lighter...
  

So it just seems that the doors is the next thing to do.

Oh I forgot to mention that I am thinking of getting Lexan windows...

genuine question, I'd really like to know if there are any safety benefits of having the door trims in a side collision

Yeah I was thinking the exact same thing when I was looking at my door trims. I mean if anything theres more sticking out with them on ie - arm rest/handles... but I've read on another website that its the sharp holes in the doors that could cause a problem? Maybe some of your body parts could get stuck in there if you rolled your car etc???

Actually I came across pics of the Donut King R35 GT-R and they have this on their doors:

http://www.gtrblog.com/wp-content/uploads/...04/DSC01816.JPG

http://www.gtrblog.com/media/blogs/gtrblog...ng/DSC01814.JPG

Looks like a really good comprimse between safety and cost. What material do you guys think it was made out of?

Cheers,

Edited March 3, 2010 by xanavinismo

[xanavinismo]

Also, unless you get towed to the track, isn't it defectable to have them removed?

Yeah I'm pretty sure that not having door trims is defectable... but because the way my car is now, I guess you could say what isn't defectable on my car? lol.

[NA_Goodness]

Most door trims like the donut king door is sheet aluminium. I'd say that one has been retrimmed.

[xanavinismo]

Most door trims like the donut king door is sheet aluminium. I'd say that one has been retrimmed.

What would you say its been retrimmed in? I was thinking something along the lines of a 'Subwoofer' carpet style fabric???

[NA_Goodness]

It looks like suede like on the seats? But carpet isnt a bad idea.

[nismoman]

I think there's nothing in it. I'm not too sure of the weight of the stock door trims on an R34, but would you think by the time you made them out of aluminium, retrimmed them in carpet and added handles, fixtures for switches etc. that the weight difference would be that significant?

I would be suprised if you even saved 1kg for both sides. If you do go ahead, please tell us the weight saving!

[xanavinismo]

I think there's nothing in it. I'm not too sure of the weight of the stock door trims on an R34, but would you think by the time you made them out of aluminium, retrimmed them in carpet and added handles, fixtures for switches etc. that the weight difference would be that significant?

I would be suprised if you even saved 1kg for both sides. If you do go ahead, please tell us the weight saving!

Yeah the R34 GT-R door trims actually have more weight than you might think & I am actually thinking of using a compressed foam (PVC?) material which is extremely light and then just cut to size. I will definitely keep you guys posted once I get it done.

Here are some pics of my doors for now...

Edited March 17, 2010 by xanavinismo

[(OO)SKYLINE(OO)]

Hmmm yeah well I've actually taken a fair amount of stuff out of my car already...

• 
  
• Air con system/Condenser
  
• Both Air bags
  
• Interior trim/carpet etc
  
• Roof lining
  
• Rear seats + Seat belts
  
• Passenger seat + Seat belt
  
• Stereo/Speakers
  
• Glove box
  
• Boot interior
  
• Spare tyre
  
• And pretty much anything that I dont need/use to make the car lighter...
  

So it just seems that the doors is the next thing to do.

Cheers,

^^ That sounds decent and I would have done the same.

Since you got a V-Spec II, you already have a carbon fibre bonnet.

You ever thought about a carbon fibre boot lid?

You could take out the dash and just have the main things you need to drive the car...

Carbon fibre front guards / carbin fibre the roof..?

Or do what the V-Spec II N1's did and remove the ABS / rear windscreen wiper...

You can go as far as removing the sound deadening.

An extreme measure is paint strip the car, take it back to the bare metal / carbon fibre and just apply a thin layer of paint.

No under coat to save weight from the paint.

Has been done before in Japan.

[xanavinismo]

^^ That sounds decent and I would have done the same.

Since you got a V-Spec II, you already have a carbon fibre bonnet.

You ever thought about a carbon fibre boot lid?

You could take out the dash and just have the main things you need to drive the car...

Carbon fibre front guards / carbin fibre the roof..?

Or do what the V-Spec II N1's did and remove the ABS / rear windscreen wiper...

You can go as far as removing the sound deadening.

An extreme measure is paint strip the car, take it back to the bare metal / carbon fibre and just apply a thin layer of paint.

No under coat to save weight from the paint.

Has been done before in Japan.

Yeah I'm trying to stay away from the (very expensive ) Carbon fibre body parts for now, but I did definitely consider carbon fibre boot, wing, doors etc.

I plan on keeping the dash as I don't want a complete 'Spartan' interior however I am actually planning on removing all of the sound deadening and getting lexan windows all round so I can also remove the rear wiper arm/motor and power window motor (and even the power window rails if possible) etc... so yeah should be pretty good then!

V-Spec II N1's still retained the ABS didn't they???

[(OO)SKYLINE(OO)]

Yeah I'm trying to stay away from the (very expensive ) Carbon fibre body parts for now, but I did definitely consider carbon fibre boot, wing, doors etc.

I plan on keeping the dash as I don't want a complete 'Spartan' interior however I am actually planning on removing all of the sound deadening and getting lexan windows all round so I can also remove the rear wiper arm/motor and power window motor (and even the power window rails if possible) etc... so yeah should be pretty good then!

V-Spec II N1's still retained the ABS didn't they???

I see.

Sound like the car will have a decent light weight program

Even check out what Mine's in Japan do to their R34 GTR's, as they go to extreme measures of light weighting, just to give you some ideas.

Yeah the V-Spec II N1's had the ABS removed.

Until the V-Spec II Nur (Based on N1) was put back in.

[xanavinismo]

I see.

Sound like the car will have a decent light weight program

Even check out what Mine's in Japan do to their R34 GTR's, as they go to extreme measures of light weighting, just to give you some ideas.

Yeah the V-Spec II N1's had the ABS removed.

Until the V-Spec II Nur (Based on N1) was put back in.

Yeah the Mine's car is actually my idol car (who wouldnt?? ) and as such would love to use some of their parts... but for now waay to expensive!

Thanks for clearing up the V-Spec II N1 thingy!

Cheers,

[(OO)SKYLINE(OO)]

Yeah the Mine's car is actually my idol car (who wouldnt?? ) and as such would love to use some of their parts... but for now waay to expensive!

Thanks for clearing up the V-Spec II N1 thingy!

Cheers,

Yeah no worries.

On the subject of light-weighting, take into account of your aero dynamics... You got both your front and rear defuses under the car?

As you know it allows air to travel smoothly under the car, in result the car will travel smoother...

If you get a Nismo Front Bar, it has a slightly longer top edge (above the grill) which acts as a bonnet lip spoiler, allowing air to be easily directed to the radiator, keeping you temps cooler = car will perform better.

+ it looks tuff as!

You might want to replace your driver seat with a BRIDE seat, which are made of carbon fibre.

They are small things which you may not even feel a difference, but it all adds up in the end.

[xanavinismo]

Yeah no worries.

On the subject of light-weighting, take into account of your aero dynamics... You got both your front and rear defuses under the car?

As you know it allows air to travel smoothly under the car, in result the car will travel smoother...

If you get a Nismo Front Bar, it has a slightly longer top edge (above the grill) which acts as a bonnet lip spoiler, allowing air to be easily directed to the radiator, keeping you temps cooler = car will perform better.

+ it looks tuff as!

You might want to replace your driver seat with a BRIDE seat, which are made of carbon fibre.

They are small things which you may not even feel a difference, but it all adds up in the end.

Yeah I got both front/rear difusers, thanks for asking.

I like the factory front bumper so yeah no replacing here.

Also, I plan on getting a Recaro SPG seat (Glass Reinforced Plastic), not carbon fibre but again I dont want to spend too much + hopefully Sparco 383 steering wheel. The seat choice is still very light, they say around 6-7kg. My factory seats are heavy as! As all are I suppose!

Cheers,

[(OO)SKYLINE(OO)]

Yeah I got both front/rear difusers, thanks for asking.

I like the factory front bumper so yeah no replacing here.

Also, I plan on getting a Recaro SPG seat (Glass Reinforced Plastic), not carbon fibre but again I dont want to spend too much + hopefully Sparco 383 steering wheel. The seat choice is still very light, they say around 6-7kg. My factory seats are heavy as! As all are I suppose!

Cheers,

Late reply... Was going to get back to you but SAU was experiencing server change overs and was offline.

Yeah nice about the seat and reinforced plastic for glass.

You should be pretty much set.

All the best!

[nato_wp]

When you get to the stage of getting rid of that heavy MFD that's raising your centre of gravity, I call dibs. Seriously.

[xanavinismo]

When you get to the stage of getting rid of that heavy MFD that's raising your centre of gravity, I call dibs. Seriously.

HAHAHA! Nah I wont be doing that. I absolutely love the MFD!

[xanavinismo]

Yeah nice about the seat and reinforced plastic for glass.

You should be pretty much set.

All the best!

Thanks man!