Has anyone ever tried to lighten a 83-89 Cabriolet?

[p7guru]

Hey guys,

I really like open top cars. I have been wanting a 911 cabrio since I was in high-school in the 80s. Since then I have owned a few 914s and a Cayman. But I really want to get back to my dream car.

Has anyone ever gutted one of these and weighed it? It seems to me the manual top cabrio could lose enough weight to get that .3 of a second back! LOL.

[p7guru]

Also. There seems to be some debate about the added weight of the cabrio. Some sources seem to indicate that the early manual top cars added no weight over the coupe. Is this true of all the 1983-1989 cabrios?

[soren.911]

My 1974 cab. converted weighs 1115Kg. But it is not an original cabriolet.

[Big Mack]

My recently acquired 88 Cab with a manual top, appropriately shod 7s & 9s, and a ridiculous stereo (amp and one subwoofer box made of MDF up front) weighs exactly 3000 lbs with a full fuel tank. Just a data point, but I was surprised at how stuff adds up.

[89911]

Take all the weight you want out of it. Add the strengthening you need to make it stiffer. What do you have? I like cabs for what they are good for, sunny cruisers. I'm not quite sure what you would be left with with a gutted cab.

[Canada Kev]

Originally Posted by 89911

I'm not quite sure what you would be left with with a gutted cab.

A bath tub?

[p7guru]

The way I see it, open cars are the most fun to drive. . I don't care a thing for leather butt scratchers and electric toenail polishers and other factory comfort junk. I am thinking this would be a sort of modern speedster. I really don't see the factory 911 speedsters as following in the tradition. But a nice Cabrio, with lightweight seats, no ac, radio, lightweight carpeting, and maybe some other lightweight stuff might make a pretty neat Speedster 911 (and no, I am not going to put the clamshell and sloped windishield.

I was following ShakinJoe's thread on weight reduction and it looks like there is a lot of junk that can be cut.

[Canada Kev]

I agree. Mostly.

I wouldn't want to introduce DIScomfort in the name of weight reduction, but ditching things like AC, which many would never use in a cab, swapping the heavy seats for something lighter and just as comfortable, and others would make sense. I disagree about the radio, though. The head unit and a couple door speakers weighs very little and, in my opinion, contributes to the top down country drive.

Let us know what you do.

[450knotOffice]

My Cabriolet is an '84 and it has the manual top. Over the years, weight has been removed to the point where the car weighs about 2550 empty, and about 2680 with full fuel, which isn't bad at all, considering how heavy these cars were originally. It makes a HUGE difference in the feel of the car. Huge.

My car has no AC - the whole system has been removed and sold off. The heavy engine sound pad has been removed. The heavy door panels have been replaced with lightweight RS style door panels. The huge battery has been replaced with a smaller lighter one. The rear seat backs have been removed. The seats are the lighter manual sports seats (as opposed to the full electric heavyweights). Other stuff has been removed as well.

[gsmith660]

I have converted my targa to a cab and done some mods to stiffen the tub it is pretty stiff now I have more planned later I plan on wieghing it this summer for a baseline but it is fun in a spirited drive in the country with the top down for sure!

[shahram]

I am still working on my 84 cab and need to finalize few more things.
But so far it is just below 2300 LB with all fluids. I am working right now on a light header, muffler solution and along with few other things I hope to crack the 2250 LB mark soon.

[jderrick]

You would be left with a very nice vehicle to enjoy. Although different years, two very nice examples can be found at the following links.

Patrick Motorsports - 911 Speedster

Patrick Motorsports - 1995 993 RSR Speedster

[gsmith660]

I like the 2nd one but they both look like dune buggies. LOL

[Joe Bob]

TRE glass fenders and hoods.......