Nothing more yin-yang than this channel, one week we see a S2000 trying to become quieter and the next one you start a crusade on killing the comfort in the name of more performance 😂😂 Keep the good work guys!
This. Minus the minor paint chips and whatnot. Then such minor surface rust on a bunch of parts 😳. Some rust protection or painted would have that sorted easy as aye. I'll still watch the build, but I'm not feeling it at all. As much as I love rotors Had it have been a normal 8, rather than a near enough mint R3? Yeah whatever goes ha. A decent AdrenalinR or AES muffler would quieten that down nicely too🤙🏼
dudes online will see a car in 4 different colours, peeling paint, soggy boots, interior smelling like bong water and 15 previous owners and call it mint this car isnt trashed but its not fucking "mint" either
@@RogueCowTurd considering its not that bad for a car thats 16 years old and was in a barn for i dont remember how long and no rust holes but only minor surface rust on parts that rust easily when in contact with salt id say its pretty mint considering everything
I remember taking similar bracing out of my old Nissan years ago for a sound system and quickly noticed a difference in transitions so i changed my sub setup and put the bracing back.
It’s bracing for the seat backs, has very little to with the torsional rigidity of the rear strut towers. There’s a big gusset gong across in the parcel shelf.
For April fools this year you should do a video of thorn and lin going through a divorce, and they fight over mark the whole time, announce the new channels "gears" and "gasoline" respectively
Dear young viewers, if you decide to strip your daily driver to save weight, please save the pieces. You, or your significant other, may decide in the future that the car is to loud and uncomfortable to drive. By saving the pieces, you can install them back in or give them to whoever buys the car next. There have been so many cars I have wanted to buy, especially Miatas, that have been stripped by someone building a "track car". Then they decide they need something that can be daily driven and sell it for whatever they can get. Please don't ruin a car without being able to put it back together. Look to tall Ben and what he is doing with is streetable S2000. Short Ben is doing this because he has a super comfortable daily driver, and this is his dedicated track car.
As a dedicated track car, great. Every 3 Kg lost is approx. 1 Bhp gained. So theoretically you've won 32 Bhp. But a lower weight has mich more benefits, lower tire wear, lower brake wear, better cornering, etc. But even the drive to the track and back will be horendous. With 130Db, no sound deadening and no working HVAC that's going to be soms sort of CIA torture resistance training. I would only do this to a track car and trailer it.
Next time put the dry ice in a blender first. Then spread it like snow on the surface of the item you're trying to freeze. More surface area means faster freezing. Just make sure you have good ventilation. 😁👍
Why would you do this to a perfectly good Mazda rx8 r3? You could’ve found a car that was already scrapped and done away with. This is painful to watch
Don't get me wrong, I still love the video and am a long-time fan of the channel, but I can't help feeling like this is the wrong direction for this car. I've never felt this way before about a g&g project, but the rx8 cleaned up SO nicely in the first video that this gutting absolutely breaks my heart. Hoping it comes together soon, I have faith in Ben, but this stage of the build is rough to watch
@@repingers9777 Power was never the focus on the RX8. The R3 had the same engine as every second series RX8 (so a 6 port with 231bhp - on paper), but it did come with forged BBS wheels, recaro seats, bilstein suspension and revised bodywork). In Europe, a left hand drive RX8 R3 goes for around 18 000 to 25 000 USD because they are extremely rare.
I mean he addresses it, the car is rusted out, paint chips everywhere, etc, so tbh it's not really as much of a loss than I think it would've been on surface level.
13:25 What we did was remove all hvac controls in the dash and bought a 25 dollar heater core for an old truck from the 90s. They are small, made of brass and have hose connectors built into them. After removing all ducting just mount the core in front of the heater blower output. Wire the blower to only on/off and you have a cheap, easy to fix heater/engine overheat control device that weighs 50lbs less than the AC system that came stock.
Umm. Ok but somehow I felt terrible seeing them throw around the interiors like that. For someone who really wants a mint car and a small interior piece breaks, it's really tough to find a replacement, and here is g and g taking out a near perfect well maintained stock interior which mazda had thoughtfully included in their car. This stuff probably appeals only to the hard-core track guys and not the routine enthusiasts with a car serving as a daily driver, and occasional long trips.
I really love this style where Ben does track builds and Asian Ben does street cars. Not to say ya both can't do whatever but the variety is cool. One week I see a sick s2k getting turned into a really sweet cruiser / canyon carver. The next we get something like this. Keep it up y'all!
So i guess my issue with this video is that I've been working to do the exact opposite to my car. I've got a 2007 Grand Touring, and have been working to restore it. I've added sound insulation nearly everywhere, and have done what I can to the cab quieter and more comfortable. While I'm not the biggest fan of the S2 redesign, the R3 interior is pretty coveted. But, it's your car, and you're free to do what you want! Always here for the videos!
And it's a decent gt car, let's face it, it won't be that fast on the street or the track without going to extremes so for the average (non youtuber) enthusiast, what you're personally doing is enhancing its natural purpose and strengths. Going back to the 80s I've always liked mazdas for their styling and overall package and have considered an rx-8 more than once because it's such a beautiful car to me. My first car was an 85 626 5 speed hatchback that had over 400,000 miles on it before I gave it to my youngest brother. Who then totalled it 6 months later.
Regardless of which cars the videos are about I watch everything you release. And my main takeaway is that your channel is one of the genuinely fantastic channels that has a mix of everything and is worth investing time into each of the projects. Keep up the good work gents!
It's only going to get louder now it's gutted... and it's not going to save that much weight in reality... I'm not at the end of the vid but 60-70 lbs is about what I guess the interior stuff weighs...
@@Rizzy4magic idk man I live in an rx-8 dense area and none of my good condition parts ever sold, listed them dirt cheap too. Someone did come get my oem struts but that's it rlly
@@mrminerniner6153 If someone wanted it they would have bought it, if someone wants one there are others out there. Not doing what you want to your own car cause of what someone else might want is the same logic as not sleeping with your girlfriend so shes stock for the next guy.
@@NotSean269 I'm more bothered by the fact that it seems like he's trying to turn the car into something its not. He already has 2 track cars. Now he's fighting this thing to try and get more power with less weight and seems like he's losing. It probably would've been a good cruising car that happened to be a cool spec, but now it's loud as hell and still not powerful enough to compete with any of the G&G performance cars. Except for Lin's engineless mr2
Ben, be careful with the bracing you removed, some if it is needed for chassis rigidity; also, for panels for the RX8, from my personal experience, the only panels worth buying carbon fiber for (which you can still buy) are the rear doors and the trunk; I think the trunk alone is the best bang for buck save; I can lift my CF trunk with my pinky... the hood is a terrible CF "upgrade" choice, the factory one is made of aluminum and is actually lighter than most wet carbon hoods out there, because they need to add fiberglass to them for structure and mounting points. I made that mistake and got one, but I guess I have vents now to help cool off the radiator easier on track days
Not even an RX-8 guy, but R3s sell for about 2 times the amount of a non R3 in my area. So I understand their pain. If the amount of rust is good enough for the track, then it wasn’t that bad to begin with
I would be very interested to see how much benefit there is from having tires that wide on something with 200 hp. Lots of extra unsprung weight and rolling resistance that probably isn’t justified.
@@bryanbusch6419yeah the only possible benefit I could see would be where it can be driven flat out without lifting at least 90% of the track. That size will be soaking up some decent momentum on decel
Finished the video- still has tires nearly 2x the size that it needs. There's many people that have documented their Race setup RX-8s and putting in SOLID lap times. Those wheels are slowing you down big time, boss. Change your rear/front antiroll bars slightly(forums have a couple posts on this), and only go slightly wider than OEM tires. 9" seems to be the best wheel size.
just keep all that stuff because in a year or two you'll want to return it back to the way it was :). Not mad because I do enjoy videos of dieting a car, AND, I also enjoy videos of turning a car back to its original form! I'm here for both :)
I’ve built the majority of cages in the summit point region for the past 20 years at Piper Motorsport. Nothing compares to removing the sound deadening in the trunk of an e30. It’s gotta be over 50pounds and 3/4” inch thick.
I have an 09 r3. Also, I'm doing the same thing (gutting) to get more speed for track days. I'm at the beginning of the video so I can't wait to see the results. Great r3 videos. Thanks brothers.
It is lighter, but can it handle the weight reduction? Those cross braces were "for the rear seats", but they also stabilize the rear suspension relative to the chassis. Then there's weight distribution, arguably way more important than overall mass. It needs new/freshened up rear suspension. Not just the coils and struts, the cradle itself needs new bushings and maybe even a fresh cradle. Once the cradle gets stiff, but the body is no longer, this causes interesting, yet slower handling characteristics.
I always enjoy you guys actually just having an idea and just filming you guys just tearing it up because you want to make it more racecar. Keep up the good work guys!
Literally doing all the things I'm doing on my Evo right now. It's a bunch of PITA work but it's super fulfilling to see and weigh the pile of unnecessary stuff at the end.
Ben, this is beautiful. This is your new racecar and it’s meant to be light. Plus doesn’t everyone talk about how cars with little to no power are the most fun? I hope you are track racing this car. I am excited to see what it can do. 😊😮😊 One more thing. Those that have any shade to throw because of Ben’s choices. It’s His car and we are here to be entertained. This video did just that. ❤🎉❤
Soo by the time the engine will lose another 0.8lbs from each rotary by blowing apex seals straight to exhaust system by itself. And on top of that it'll be more significant weight save because it ROTATIONAL weight and doritos will spin even faster (or maybe NOT) :D
This is great to see because I was on the verge of giving up on my RX-8 project. It's already been delayed as it is. Looking forward to seeing more RX-8 videos! Great content
Hey, I'm only about 2 Min into the video so if this is covered later, Sorry. I'm sure this has been suggested but if you still wanna see 200hp, maybe consider compression testing the engine? Because I don't recall it being done on video (maybe it was done but not filmed). Remember rotary engines have 3 rotor faces per rotor that all need good compression, lots of seals in there could go bad causing one face to not have proper compression and robbing power. engine will run happily and feel fine even though one or 2 faces aren't performing at peak performance. Just a thought anyway
The only reason I'm gonna like this is because it's entertaining watching you do this, that being said I hate what you're doing to the RX8. You do you my guy
as someone who as done this to a different vehicle. you are gonna miss the heater the most, especially when the air is cold and the windshield starts to fog and you cant do anything about it because you are on turn 3. Good luck!
@ Only to cats. There were two options. 1) explain that the RX8 already has a carbon fiber driveshaft and a reasonably light weight flywheel or 2) sarcasm.
Good information for us RX8 owners. Though I doubt I will strip mines down lol. Creature comforts are what make it more daily suitable than an RX-7 FD.
I used to owned 04 rx8 and you kind of on right direction, reduce weight rather than increase power. 3 things I would to add to reduce more weight. 1. Light weight flywheel 2. Couple of fix plastic bucket seats 3. Convert acid battery to lithium battery.
back when i owned an Rx-8, having my 220lb friend in the passenger seat make the car feel SIGNIFICANTLY slower, so removing that much weight I assume is gonna make that car feel amazing. lol
If you want it to be a club sport kind of spec, some minimal dynamating and foam/mass vinyl lining select areas will make it more bearable to drive without earplugs.
13B-MSP/GSLSE engine hybrid is where it's at. Relatively easy, much less expensive than a 13B-REW swap from an FD And you'll get an engine that has a lot more exhaust ports, and Kyle Mohan has proved a bunch a times that it takes fat boosting and lots of beating quite well
always remember to like the videos and subscribe to the channel, these guys are some of the last UA-camr who aren't sell outs, let's keep supporting these guys.
For a track only car this makes a lot of sense. I was hoping you'd give a comparison of the driving characteristics before and after the weight reduction. I'm curious not just about the acceleration increase but how the car feels.
Idk why but I always chuckle when dedicated car guys get excited over 200lbs. And to be fair y’all’s video make it exciting for everyone. But as an off-roader, I could shave 1200lbs off my truck in 30 mins and put it back on. Roof top tents, awning, refrigerator, battery packs, spare fuel, etc. it weighs a lot. But I also ride, and a simple diet can massively improve power to weight ratio. It’s funny to me cause I’m on the extreme of both ends. Either 100lbs is nothing or 6oz is everything 😂
Ben Lin ought to take some notes from all the padding behind the interior panels. I bet that helps quite a bit reduce the sound. Also, loved the scribbling off the pieces as you removed them 😂.
ayyyy- i just did this last week with my project car, had 35lbs of sound deadening, 37lbs of carpet, and the front seats were 74lbs, took a solid 240lbs out! I used 20lbs of dry ice, but got the cubed version (from a welding supply store), put a windshield insulator over top of it in sections for a min, worked really well! this was on an old wagon tho- so a bit more surface area My old 1st gen rx7 didn't have a working blower motor, but the trans tunnel had enough heat to heat the inside so it was fine lol
Thank you guys for showing the RX8 some love. Us rotary heads are few but loyal. The weight reduction at the track will shock you. You are going to have to admit just how much you like this car on track.
I mean it won't be fully free but if you are planning on wrapping it, I'd strip out the rear doors completely and weld them closed, Wrapping to hide the welds grinded back since money for a respray. we have some RX8 cup cars here that have done that, a fair bit of weight with the opening mechs and crap in them. If it was getting a car, me and a few other cut out the crash bar inside the doors to lighten them up which also makes a really big difference.
*car hits 130dB*
*removes all noise reduction*
😂
This thing will have to be driven with a noise reducing helmet. Absolutely insane how loud it will be and some tracks have a dB limit.
@@btownballer27 fastest track car banned in all race tracks due tonnoise
he hates his ears😂
But earplugs are lightweight!
Next video, mark installs new carbon fiber roof for the rx-8.
20 hours of work for a whopping 6 pound improvement!
@@LoganWhaley-SGCL 20 hours of work to change the hood!!??!?!?!?!?!??!
@@meizindRoof, not hood.
@@meizind take your time and read things before making comments bud...
Plz no
Ben Lin: I want my S2000 to be nice to drive
Ben Thorn: sonic-gotta-go-fast.jpg
it’s funny how it used to be the other way around 😂
ahh that's why it's sonic blue
Nothing more yin-yang than this channel, one week we see a S2000 trying to become quieter and the next one you start a crusade on killing the comfort in the name of more performance 😂😂
Keep the good work guys!
Lmaoooo i love it
olha o ACF ai kkkkk
Copa Mazda da firma when?
yo @GearsandGasoline, we Brazilian viewers need this collab asap
A wild Little Richard appears.
2 years from now we’re gonna get “I need to make the rx8 drivable again” video. I already can’t wait.
It’s better as a dedicated track car than a road car lol. It should just live out its life like this until Ben LS swaps it
Nah it wont be around for two years. But he does like how it drives..🤷
Nah. Spare the rx8's f8 from being a mid street car and turn it into a track beast.
Love how he says its in a really rough shape and then mentiones some paint chips and surface rust... mate that thing is mint
yeah that is as clean as a chassis as any you could find in the northeast or rust belt
Yeah and it was great 😭 (and then you see how far gone the S2k was..)
This. Minus the minor paint chips and whatnot. Then such minor surface rust on a bunch of parts 😳. Some rust protection or painted would have that sorted easy as aye.
I'll still watch the build, but I'm not feeling it at all. As much as I love rotors
Had it have been a normal 8, rather than a near enough mint R3? Yeah whatever goes ha. A decent AdrenalinR or AES muffler would quieten that down nicely too🤙🏼
dudes online will see a car in 4 different colours, peeling paint, soggy boots, interior smelling like bong water and 15 previous owners and call it mint
this car isnt trashed but its not fucking "mint" either
@@RogueCowTurd considering its not that bad for a car thats 16 years old and was in a barn for i dont remember how long and no rust holes but only minor surface rust on parts that rust easily when in contact with salt id say its pretty mint considering everything
It'll be K swapped by the end of the year mark my word! 😂
I’m hoping not. I’m hoping they get a little more creative with the engine choice.
Ford flathead v8 swap inbound ☠️
@@minivanmorrison V8Roadsters makes a swap kit for a GM LFx V6, they sound pretty good, especially with some cams.
yea three hundy hersprs is the spot for that chassy, also the dorito gonna break🤣
@@riogrande163 he said he wants to make more than 200hp so probably not…
Put the silver cross braces back in that were behind the seats. It's an OEM bracing to help with body rigidity.
I remember taking similar bracing out of my old Nissan years ago for a sound system and quickly noticed a difference in transitions so i changed my sub setup and put the bracing back.
They have MUCH better(and lighter) aftermarket bracing.
@@JonHop1 Yeah, but that costs money.
It’s bracing for the seat backs, has very little to with the torsional rigidity of the rear strut towers. There’s a big gusset gong across in the parcel shelf.
@@LazyPerfectionist-t1h and? It's very affordable and a worthwhile upgrade
bro buys the top rare spec rx8 and cuts all the rare stuff out
He doesn't care unfortunetly
bro its a track car
also look at 10:30 , its rotten
Yeah but could have bought an rx8 for 4k and then turned that into the same track car. It's getting hard to find r3s@@fredericoespinoza
@@fredericoespinoza from daily drive to track car wasn't that bad, however...
For April fools this year you should do a video of thorn and lin going through a divorce, and they fight over mark the whole time, announce the new channels "gears" and "gasoline" respectively
that would be so fun to watch lol
And they can also do an Opposite Day where Ben Lin obsess about speed and weight loss while thorn try to improve nvh and put everything back together
Divorce has already happened
Throwing the R3 interior 😱
He could sell it too. Mmm
This was sacrilegious to watch.
He could have paid for half of that 20b engine with just that interior alone...
The enthusiasm and giddiness when you said “faster than a K-swapped S2000” could be felt. Poor Ben Lin.
13:09 That heater core on RockAuto is 44 dollars, lol
Has to justify it to himself somehow
The man has rock auto magnets on his fridge in the background and didn’t look there
Came here to say this
I checked rock auto immediately after this scene too! For $44 that’s a no brainer.
You need heat for sure.
Dear young viewers, if you decide to strip your daily driver to save weight, please save the pieces. You, or your significant other, may decide in the future that the car is to loud and uncomfortable to drive. By saving the pieces, you can install them back in or give them to whoever buys the car next. There have been so many cars I have wanted to buy, especially Miatas, that have been stripped by someone building a "track car". Then they decide they need something that can be daily driven and sell it for whatever they can get. Please don't ruin a car without being able to put it back together. Look to tall Ben and what he is doing with is streetable S2000. Short Ben is doing this because he has a super comfortable daily driver, and this is his dedicated track car.
Now to drive it more than 5 mins with no earplugs in.
Tinnitus has entered the chat
WHAAAAT?!
As a dedicated track car, great. Every 3 Kg lost is approx. 1 Bhp gained. So theoretically you've won 32 Bhp. But a lower weight has mich more benefits, lower tire wear, lower brake wear, better cornering, etc.
But even the drive to the track and back will be horendous. With 130Db, no sound deadening and no working HVAC that's going to be soms sort of CIA torture resistance training. I would only do this to a track car and trailer it.
Next time put the dry ice in a blender first. Then spread it like snow on the surface of the item you're trying to freeze. More surface area means faster freezing. Just make sure you have good ventilation. 😁👍
Why would you do this to a perfectly good Mazda rx8 r3? You could’ve found a car that was already scrapped and done away with. This is painful to watch
Are you the owner of the car? Lol
That's insane. You should consider this an opportunity to fix that 130db otherwise it's going to be UNBEARABLE to drive.
Don't get me wrong, I still love the video and am a long-time fan of the channel, but I can't help feeling like this is the wrong direction for this car. I've never felt this way before about a g&g project, but the rx8 cleaned up SO nicely in the first video that this gutting absolutely breaks my heart. Hoping it comes together soon, I have faith in Ben, but this stage of the build is rough to watch
same
Same. It being an r3 makes it even more painfull...
@@thomass8118is the r3 the most powerful trim? from what i know rx8's have a few power levels from 210-230ish which ig 190whp would make sense
@@repingers9777 Power was never the focus on the RX8. The R3 had the same engine as every second series RX8 (so a 6 port with 231bhp - on paper), but it did come with forged BBS wheels, recaro seats, bilstein suspension and revised bodywork).
In Europe, a left hand drive RX8 R3 goes for around 18 000 to 25 000 USD because they are extremely rare.
I mean he addresses it, the car is rusted out, paint chips everywhere, etc, so tbh it's not really as much of a loss than I think it would've been on surface level.
that heater core was under $50 on rock auto, OEM is wild lmao
13:25 What we did was remove all hvac controls in the dash and bought a 25 dollar heater core for an old truck from the 90s. They are small, made of brass and have hose connectors built into them. After removing all ducting just mount the core in front of the heater blower output. Wire the blower to only on/off and you have a cheap, easy to fix heater/engine overheat control device that weighs 50lbs less than the AC system that came stock.
Umm. Ok but somehow I felt terrible seeing them throw around the interiors like that. For someone who really wants a mint car and a small interior piece breaks, it's really tough to find a replacement, and here is g and g taking out a near perfect well maintained stock interior which mazda had thoughtfully included in their car. This stuff probably appeals only to the hard-core track guys and not the routine enthusiasts with a car serving as a daily driver, and occasional long trips.
I really love this style where Ben does track builds and Asian Ben does street cars. Not to say ya both can't do whatever but the variety is cool. One week I see a sick s2k getting turned into a really sweet cruiser / canyon carver. The next we get something like this. Keep it up y'all!
So i guess my issue with this video is that I've been working to do the exact opposite to my car. I've got a 2007 Grand Touring, and have been working to restore it. I've added sound insulation nearly everywhere, and have done what I can to the cab quieter and more comfortable. While I'm not the biggest fan of the S2 redesign, the R3 interior is pretty coveted. But, it's your car, and you're free to do what you want! Always here for the videos!
And it's a decent gt car, let's face it, it won't be that fast on the street or the track without going to extremes so for the average (non youtuber) enthusiast, what you're personally doing is enhancing its natural purpose and strengths. Going back to the 80s I've always liked mazdas for their styling and overall package and have considered an rx-8 more than once because it's such a beautiful car to me. My first car was an 85 626 5 speed hatchback that had over 400,000 miles on it before I gave it to my youngest brother. Who then totalled it 6 months later.
I feel like the lack of heat is going bite Ben in the ass at one of those chilly track events
or lack of ac in the southern states lol
@@tturi2 Frosted windshield vs Swamp ass lol
Well i'm getting old. I understand the benefits of lightweight, but I wouldn't sacrifice that much confort😬
🚗💥💨🔥
Regardless of which cars the videos are about I watch everything you release. And my main takeaway is that your channel is one of the genuinely fantastic channels that has a mix of everything and is worth investing time into each of the projects. Keep up the good work gents!
I'm not upset, I'm disappointed.
That's worse...
Why
No one wanted to ride in that ridiculously loud car with such little horsepower
It's only going to get louder now it's gutted... and it's not going to save that much weight in reality... I'm not at the end of the vid but 60-70 lbs is about what I guess the interior stuff weighs...
@@zeroswings2Bad guess
Don’t forget the driver. I refuse to spend any $$$ on weight loss on my car until I lose a few more pounds
Ben already did that, used to be chunky and he lost a bunch for weight savings
You can also do both.
Doing all that weight savings and then leaving the dash and front interior trim pieces for the illusion of a "functional car" is diabolical lol
Front and rear bash bars, fender liners, air pump. There's shielding and sound stuff under the car aswell.
honestly it's pretty annoying how you guys throw good parts on the ground like that. Seems wasteful
😑 🫵a😺
They're probably so rich they just throw all that in the dumpster.
It's an rx-8, those parts would not have sold
@@pandamoto yeah they would
@@Rizzy4magic idk man I live in an rx-8 dense area and none of my good condition parts ever sold, listed them dirt cheap too. Someone did come get my oem struts but that's it rlly
Please tell me the center exit gets removed this episode 😅
I think you mean the rear facing canon
It is not
Lin : old race car to “decent” daily driver
Thorne : old decent daily to “track” car
1:16 Yeah, Ben is definitely a dad now 😂
Why would you gut a clean R3 with less than 200hp
Why not?
@@DerekMoore82because it's a clean R3 with a not very great power to weight ratio
@@mrminerniner6153 If someone wanted it they would have bought it, if someone wants one there are others out there. Not doing what you want to your own car cause of what someone else might want is the same logic as not sleeping with your girlfriend so shes stock for the next guy.
@@NotSean269 I'm more bothered by the fact that it seems like he's trying to turn the car into something its not. He already has 2 track cars. Now he's fighting this thing to try and get more power with less weight and seems like he's losing. It probably would've been a good cruising car that happened to be a cool spec, but now it's loud as hell and still not powerful enough to compete with any of the G&G performance cars. Except for Lin's engineless mr2
because as you said its an r3 with less than 200hp lol
Ben, be careful with the bracing you removed, some if it is needed for chassis rigidity; also, for panels for the RX8, from my personal experience, the only panels worth buying carbon fiber for (which you can still buy) are the rear doors and the trunk; I think the trunk alone is the best bang for buck save; I can lift my CF trunk with my pinky... the hood is a terrible CF "upgrade" choice, the factory one is made of aluminum and is actually lighter than most wet carbon hoods out there, because they need to add fiberglass to them for structure and mounting points. I made that mistake and got one, but I guess I have vents now to help cool off the radiator easier on track days
I have a '07 Mazda 3 hatchback and the chassis is awesome.
I can not imagine how awesome must be the rx-8 chassis.
Not even an RX-8 guy, but R3s sell for about 2 times the amount of a non R3 in my area. So I understand their pain. If the amount of rust is good enough for the track, then it wasn’t that bad to begin with
I bet you'd make 200hp if you didnt have 275 width tires on there. Try a hub dyno!
I would be very interested to see how much benefit there is from having tires that wide on something with 200 hp. Lots of extra unsprung weight and rolling resistance that probably isn’t justified.
@@bryanbusch6419yeah the only possible benefit I could see would be where it can be driven flat out without lifting at least 90% of the track. That size will be soaking up some decent momentum on decel
17:39 not cleaning the cable made me cringe
Ben is a man after my heart. But I really feel like Ben and I are growing apart
I thought that was my profile pic for a second lmao
@ haha that’s awesome! Love your car
@@TrackMouse34 same man! Just shot you a follow on IG 🤘
Yeah atleast it was 200lbs 😢
Finished the video- still has tires nearly 2x the size that it needs. There's many people that have documented their Race setup RX-8s and putting in SOLID lap times. Those wheels are slowing you down big time, boss. Change your rear/front antiroll bars slightly(forums have a couple posts on this), and only go slightly wider than OEM tires. 9" seems to be the best wheel size.
you made it into a dedicated track car. it would be an uncomfortable daily driver but doable. take the passenger seat out,
just keep all that stuff because in a year or two you'll want to return it back to the way it was :). Not mad because I do enjoy videos of dieting a car, AND, I also enjoy videos of turning a car back to its original form! I'm here for both :)
I’ve built the majority of cages in the summit point region for the past 20 years at Piper Motorsport. Nothing compares to removing the sound deadening in the trunk of an e30. It’s gotta be over 50pounds and 3/4” inch thick.
I’m finishing up my personal drift NA Miata build and it’s weighing in at 1800# right now with around 180whp. Low hp light weight is where the fun is.
I have an 09 r3. Also, I'm doing the same thing (gutting) to get more speed for track days. I'm at the beginning of the video so I can't wait to see the results. Great r3 videos. Thanks brothers.
It is lighter, but can it handle the weight reduction? Those cross braces were "for the rear seats", but they also stabilize the rear suspension relative to the chassis. Then there's weight distribution, arguably way more important than overall mass. It needs new/freshened up rear suspension. Not just the coils and struts, the cradle itself needs new bushings and maybe even a fresh cradle. Once the cradle gets stiff, but the body is no longer, this causes interesting, yet slower handling characteristics.
I always enjoy you guys actually just having an idea and just filming you guys just tearing it up because you want to make it more racecar. Keep up the good work guys!
Do a before and after lap times with and without the giant wing
that would be interesting. Weight/drag vs downforce
You will never notice that much weight reduction on the track, you will notice how shitty the car is on the road.
Literally doing all the things I'm doing on my Evo right now. It's a bunch of PITA work but it's super fulfilling to see and weigh the pile of unnecessary stuff at the end.
Ben, this is beautiful.
This is your new racecar and it’s meant to be light. Plus doesn’t everyone talk about how cars with little to no power are the most fun?
I hope you are track racing this car. I am excited to see what it can do. 😊😮😊
One more thing. Those that have any shade to throw because of Ben’s choices. It’s His car and we are here to be entertained. This video did just that. ❤🎉❤
sad to see a super rare RX8 R3 edition being gutted and destroyed like that😢
Soo by the time the engine will lose another 0.8lbs from each rotary by blowing apex seals straight to exhaust system by itself. And on top of that it'll be more significant weight save because it ROTATIONAL weight and doritos will spin even faster (or maybe NOT) :D
parts will be worth a lot in 20 years
You could remove at least 50 pounds on the driver's seat
gutting a rare rx 8 for -%7 weight because it has shoddy paint is fucking crazy. i understand it's for content but still, this was painful to watch.
And rust. And rx8 shells are cheap AF. And I own a rx8 haha
This is great to see because I was on the verge of giving up on my RX-8 project. It's already been delayed as it is. Looking forward to seeing more RX-8 videos! Great content
Awesome to see someone working on an RX-8. Always loved them.
So sad to see an R3 get trashed but I do like seeing it get some recognition. Hopefully this becomes a full on track car with better parts.
Hey, I'm only about 2 Min into the video so if this is covered later, Sorry. I'm sure this has been suggested but if you still wanna see 200hp, maybe consider compression testing the engine? Because I don't recall it being done on video (maybe it was done but not filmed).
Remember rotary engines have 3 rotor faces per rotor that all need good compression, lots of seals in there could go bad causing one face to not have proper compression and robbing power. engine will run happily and feel fine even though one or 2 faces aren't performing at peak performance. Just a thought anyway
Some 17x9s would help a few shed a few more lbs. It can also help make it feel a little quicker.
The only reason I'm gonna like this is because it's entertaining watching you do this, that being said I hate what you're doing to the RX8. You do you my guy
Won't save any weight on a carbon hood, seats and lexan would save you the most weight for the money.
Can't believe you gutted a RX8 GT, the GT is rare 😢 should of done this to a 2003 series 1
I've often wondered... how heavy is an rx8 rear door and hinge....
YOOOOOOO THIS IS TIGHT AND I LOVE IT.
as someone who as done this to a different vehicle. you are gonna miss the heater the most, especially when the air is cold and the windshield starts to fog and you cant do anything about it because you are on turn 3. Good luck!
Sooo...are the seats for sale?
Some really heavy parts people forget. Drive shaft, brake rotors, flywheel, accesories (AC is nice but is a racecar😂😂😂).
Yea but the car is really slow if you remove the drive shaft, brake rotors, and flywheel. 🤔
@@TurboHappyCar Dad?
@ Only to cats. There were two options. 1) explain that the RX8 already has a carbon fiber driveshaft and a reasonably light weight flywheel or 2) sarcasm.
For anyone removing sound deadening, you can use a heat gun/blowtorch and a plastic scraper it'll come off incredibly easy.
Good information for us RX8 owners. Though I doubt I will strip mines down lol. Creature comforts are what make it more daily suitable than an RX-7 FD.
I love the fact that as he's doing the to do list there's gotta be hundreds of people doing the exact same list just backwards
I used to owned 04 rx8 and you kind of on right direction, reduce weight rather than increase power. 3 things I would to add to reduce more weight. 1. Light weight flywheel 2. Couple of fix plastic bucket seats 3. Convert acid battery to lithium battery.
My biggest car regret is selling my 2009 RX8 R3! Your video has got me looking for another one! 😅
back when i owned an Rx-8, having my 220lb friend in the passenger seat make the car feel SIGNIFICANTLY slower, so removing that much weight I assume is gonna make that car feel amazing. lol
If you want it to be a club sport kind of spec, some minimal dynamating and foam/mass vinyl lining select areas will make it more bearable to drive without earplugs.
13B-MSP/GSLSE engine hybrid is where it's at. Relatively easy, much less expensive than a 13B-REW swap from an FD
And you'll get an engine that has a lot more exhaust ports, and Kyle Mohan has proved a bunch a times that it takes fat boosting and lots of beating quite well
And with that you'll be able to put back all the creature confort and make a fat amount of hp
Just dont try it NA or youll be stuck below 120hp
no don't take anymore gslse engines away i need them for my car
cx5 engine weighs a bit less than a 13b and I'd more powerful lol
from experience i can say, you're gonna regret trashing the heater core.
always remember to like the videos and subscribe to the channel, these guys are some of the last UA-camr who aren't sell outs, let's keep supporting these guys.
Why do I feel like this is replacing the civic as the track car and the CTR is replacing the RX8 as the street car????? 🤨🤨🤨
Interior noise increased by 10 decibels and you lose even more hearing. 😄
This was a hard episode to watch, basically a snuff film.
I was weighting for this step in the RX-8's journey...
@@NaxRydan damn
Why not go full Top Gear and remove the doors, hood and trunk lid while you’re about it 😂
For a track only car this makes a lot of sense. I was hoping you'd give a comparison of the driving characteristics before and after the weight reduction. I'm curious not just about the acceleration increase but how the car feels.
This shit box makes me want to trade my NC3 miata for a Rx8.
Idk why but I always chuckle when dedicated car guys get excited over 200lbs. And to be fair y’all’s video make it exciting for everyone. But as an off-roader, I could shave 1200lbs off my truck in 30 mins and put it back on. Roof top tents, awning, refrigerator, battery packs, spare fuel, etc. it weighs a lot. But I also ride, and a simple diet can massively improve power to weight ratio. It’s funny to me cause I’m on the extreme of both ends. Either 100lbs is nothing or 6oz is everything 😂
Looking at your phone while sitting on the toilet 😂 the guilt is overwhelming like you spoke directly to me Ben😂
Why do you have a 50 pound passenger seat or any passenger seat ?
Ben Lin ought to take some notes from all the padding behind the interior panels. I bet that helps quite a bit reduce the sound. Also, loved the scribbling off the pieces as you removed them 😂.
When he said, "and huh, let's be honest your phone while you're sitting on the toilet", I literally felt that🤣🤣🤣
ayyyy- i just did this last week with my project car, had 35lbs of sound deadening, 37lbs of carpet, and the front seats were 74lbs, took a solid 240lbs out!
I used 20lbs of dry ice, but got the cubed version (from a welding supply store), put a windshield insulator over top of it in sections for a min, worked really well!
this was on an old wagon tho- so a bit more surface area
My old 1st gen rx7 didn't have a working blower motor, but the trans tunnel had enough heat to heat the inside so it was fine lol
Thank you guys for showing the RX8 some love. Us rotary heads are few but loyal. The weight reduction at the track will shock you. You are going to have to admit just how much you like this car on track.
This was a really nice rx8! I would of bought a clapped out one then turn it into a street/track car smh
all this work and still 500lbs heavier than a stock miata. mazda did some black magic on that car
I mean it won't be fully free but if you are planning on wrapping it, I'd strip out the rear doors completely and weld them closed, Wrapping to hide the welds grinded back since money for a respray.
we have some RX8 cup cars here that have done that, a fair bit of weight with the opening mechs and crap in them. If it was getting a car, me and a few other cut out the crash bar inside the doors to lighten them up which also makes a really big difference.
This reminds me of my first few cars/projects, "free" mods that made the car "faster" were and still are the best!