daily Driven Lightweight M3 Thread

[Tarmac_E46_M3]

How light is your M3?

I'm sitting at 3039 lbs; as the car drops weight I update my sig, so keep an eye out!

Here is the list of everything removed so far, with weights:
Tire Repair Pump- 5 lbs
Front and left door insulation- 8 lbs
Rear seat insulation- 13 lbs
Navigation Brackets w/storage bin- 3.6 lbs
Rear seatbelts and restraint system- 8.2 lbs
Arm rest mount- 1.4 lbs
Arm rest- 1.8 lbs
center console- 3 lbs
Front door airbags (2) w/ bolts- 2.8 lbs
Front door speakers (both)- 3.4 lbs
Driver seat- 65.8 lbs
Passenger seat- 65.8 lbs
Left door card- 10.2 lbs
Right door card- 10.2 lbs
Left rear seat backing- 25 lbs
Right rear seat backing- 11.4 lbs
Rear seat bench- 12 lbs
Rear seat quarter panels- 4.2 lbs
Left rear door card- 4.6 lbs
Right rear door card- 4.6 lbs
Rear floor mats- 1.4 lbs
Glove box and housing- 5.4 lbs
Steering column insulation- 1 lb
CF CSL trunk (weight difference)- 15.4 lbs
CF GTR Hood (weight difference)- 15.6 lbs
Shaved bits off vents on CF hood- 1 lb
Trimmed front Carpet pieces (2)- 1.2 lbs
Dash foam (1)- 1.2 lbs
Dash Insulation- 4.8 lbs
Passenger footwell light board- 1 lb
Driver side rear vent- 1.2 lbs
Passenger side rear vent- 1.2 lbs
Rear seat corner foam- 1.4 lbs
Rear seat latch system- 2 lbs
ALL Tar removed- 12.2 lbs
Stereo system wire harness (95%, guess) -8.4 lbs
Radio/AMP and bolts -4 lbs
Rear speakers/housing and bolts -3.8 lbs
Dash head unit (w/ 1 CD) -6.8 lbs
Large AMP and bolts: 7 lbs
Rear side panel inserts -6 lbs
Difference between stock and ETX30L -25 lbs
Difference between Stock pulleys and VAC ultra light -.4 lbs
Secondary air-pump -4 lbs
Bi-Xenons- 6.1 lbs: 12.2 lbs total
Fog lights- .79 lbs/ .8 lbs: 1.6 lbs total
Rotora 4 Pot front calipers (guessed)- 6 lbs
Rotora 4 pot rear calipers- 4.4 lbs
ZCP front rotors (2)- 37.7 lbs (1.7 lbs heavier than stock)
ZCP rear rotors (2)- 29 lbs (3.4 lbs lighter than stock)
Ebrake drum and shields -8.2 lbs
Ebrake handle -2 lbs
Bumper beam and foam insert -9 lbs
1 Horn -.8 lbs
Timmed bumper peices .5 lbs
Extra plastic "skid plate" piece -1 lbs
Front cowl -3.2 lbs

Total weight dropped so far: -446 lbs (not counting the added weight, which is about 80 lbs)

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Planned car weight loss:
Coilovers (10 lbs off the car)
Custom exhaust with aluminum section 2 and 3 (60 lbs drop off the car)
Install SS V1 (10 lbs off the car)
Install Evolve CF Airbox (10 lbs off the car)
Install CF fenders (8 lbs off the car)
Get tires for my Apex ARC-8s (projected 50 lbs drop off the car)
Rear lexan window and quarter side windows (25 lbs off the car)
CF roof (15 lbs off the car)
CF driveshaft (8lbs off the car)
Remove rear liner/carpet (10 lbs off the car)
Brake booster delete (10 lbs off the car)
Manage wire harness (10 lbs off the car)

Projected total weight removed: 226 lbs

Projected weight when done: 2814 lbs.

This car will still be street driven with 350 WHP, when complete.
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Stock weight to power ratio (3415 lbs/ 273 WHP): 12.5 lbs/ WHP

Projected weight to power ratio: 8.04 lbs/ WHP

Stock weight M3 with 8.04 lbs/ WHP: 424 WHP

[Tarmac_E46_M3]

I'm now at 3000 lbs. I dropped about 44 lbs since I posted this. Here is the latest:
Radiator surround shroud -1 lbs
Radiator shroud - 1.8 lbs
Clutch Fan - 4 lbs
OEM Radiator (total weight) - 11.5 lbs (unsure of difference)
OEM fenders (total weight) - 12.8 lbs (7.4 lbs saved)
Li-Ion Battery (weight saved) - 16.8 lbs
OEM Battery tray/mount -3 lbs
Rear window quarter panel mis -1.2 lbs
Rear 1/4 window motors/mounts (2) -1.2 lbs
Engine cover w/3 nuts -2.4 lbs

I plan on doing some other stuff next week... unsure of where I'm going to find it, but I will find something.

I've been contemplating going with cf doors. Yes, I've heard that they are not as safe as steel doors, you should have a cage... but I did have a motorcycle, that wasn't very safe either. Should I just stare at it and not ride? basically, please keep the cf door comments to yourselves, thank you.

Anyways... I predict that CF doors (weighing in at 8 lbs) should drop about 80 lbs. I've read that the stock door shells weight around 50 lbs, if that's the case then it's a total savings of around 82 lbs. If it is 82 lbs, that will roughly put me at 2910 (because I'll find 8 lbs somewhere else ). That's with stock exhaust system and all that jazz.

[Tarmac_E46_M3]

Alright, so we know an exhaust drops some good weight. Some guys even run the bw exhaust on the street and will probably see more of the actually bw street version out here, once it comes out. I'm debating on either going with the bw street 3.5" exhaust... Or my crazy idea.

So people... Here is ANOTHER extreme idea coming from this guys head.... Side exit exhaust. Yes, I've read how much work it is... Have you seen my car?! Lol.

Well, here's the rough draft of how I see it in my head. Pipes will be 2.5":


Idea behind it is cool factor, probably similar sound to the bw exhaust but with potential to not be as loud running 4 resonators.

Thoughts?

[1MOREMOD]

your a mad man keep it up. going lighter is definitly a big advantage over just adding power. so much better at high speeds thru corners at the track and limits push.

[Tarmac_E46_M3]

thanks... Haha. its extreme, but I like it. we will see if I go through with it, its going to take a lot of modifications.

[Mike@VAC]

Nice work dude. It's hard to beat a <3000lb E46 M3!

[Orange fever]

great project. keep losing that weight

[Tarmac_E46_M3]

Originally Posted by Mike@VAC

Nice work dude. It's hard to beat a <3000lb E46 M3!

Originally Posted by Orange fever

great project. keep losing that weight

Thanks! Hopefully when I'm done it will look kinda like I see it in my head....

1) exposed CF mirrors; Wrapped CF hood, trunk, roof, doors
2) Matte Grey vinyl wrap (still not 100% on this)
3) Matte black/ CF interior (real): Panels, seats, rear seat delete, dash, etc
4) Shooting for 340-350 WHP (cf airbox, 288/280 cams, SS V1 headers, side exit exhaust )
4) 2800 lbs car (half cage)
5) have A/C capabilities
6) Street driven

[Darth One]

this is a great thread. like a better, more interesting version of Weight Watchers

[Tarmac_E46_M3]

and a very attractive car.

[Thane5]

Have you found any light weight cages. I was told a carbon fibre roof would save 80lbs from the stock with Sunroof. Is that true?

[Tarmac_E46_M3]

with a sunroof, on the e46 m3, about 40-45 lbs.

I don't have a sunroof, but with a cf roof I'd cut about 15 lbs off. that's on my list too.