crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

Well, I'm new to dealing with designing a front end. My plan is to ask you guru's about how you went about cutting/bracing the front end of your 88-91, and also to ask for pictures of which to emulate. I know that it's nearly all structural, but I can also tell that most of it is overweight. I figure if I can cut 30-40 pounds through all this, I'd be a happy camper.

Cutting weight from the front end isn't the wisest thing to do, traction-wise, but I'll also give the same treatment to the rear to help even things out. It's going to be more of a drag racing vehicle.

I had a hard time searching, since most of these things I don't know the name of, but I'm sure that others will benefit from this too.

I'm starting with the crash support bar. I am going to make a simple angle-iron piece to take it's place. But, I also wanted to know if this is something I'll need to repalce when digging deeper into the front end. Thanks for your help.


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Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

I'd only cut the larger sections out of the front crash bar. You're going to need something to bolt the bumper to. Other than that, it's not worth it.

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

I cut the rebar to fit frontmounts, sometimes I lose the T-bar for the hood latch when turbo clearance is an issue. Other than that, may as well leave it in. It's a tin can car anyways, you might lose 10-15 pounds of weight cutting out most of the rebar.

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

is it being replaced with a fiberglass front end?

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

Where is he going to get one?

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

make more hp, then no need to cut up the structural integrity of the front end.

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

i dont use the crash bar on my crx.. never have.. just dont hit anything!! i also got an intercooler long enough to go across that section and ran my pipes through the factory openings for the washer bottle and where you put your CAI through

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

you mean your actually going to race your car? lol

jk, up the boost, save time and effort cutting stuff up.

I would find ways to elimnate weight elsewhere first.

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

if you really want some weight savings buy a set of fiberglass doors for the track. Weigh around 6 lbs each. The cost well thats another story 600 for a set. I love mine though fit great.

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

Hey, bud. I was the last one, of us three, to race my car @ the track. You need to hurry up with the "beast" so we can take that out.




While I respect the reasoning and opinions of all of you, I really would appreciate some pictures of proven track cars. I simply wouldn't know where to look.

The reasoning is all very good to not do this, but my reasoning has led me do seek help on how to do this.

A fiberglass front end, while very light, wouldn't be an option for my broke self. Cutting metal in strategic places might, though.

As far as structural integrity, what car are we talking about again? Oh, yeah, a CRX aka deathtrap. These vehicles don't fare well in crashes above 20mph anyway, so what's a few stamped steel bars, held on by spot welds and 8mm bolts, going to protect? Certainly not the motor, as we can see from aftermath pictures. Or even the passengers for that matter.

I'm not advocating that everyone do this for those same reasons, but I am certainly going to consider it. If there are reasons not to do this based not totally on "safety" or someone's opinion of what's safe, I'm all ears.

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

We're not saying that it isn't worth it because of safety. ----, I told you to cut the rebar out, and that's not very safe at all.

I personally was saying it's not worth it because there isn't enough material on the front of the car to warrant cutting stuff out. The rebar is probably 15 pounds of weight you could cut out. The rad support weighs maybe 2-3 pounds tops. The headlight supports weigh maybe 2-3 pounds again, but it's not worth the hassle. There's nothing on the front end except the rad support and rebar that you can really do away with and not lose more than you gain from it.

Is this remaining a street car?

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

I think you scared him

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

fiberglass doors for the track for the win




if you want to go poor route cut up doors for the track and throw stock doors on the way home




thats solid weight savings. Or cut up your factory hood under webing

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

I'm glad you clarified what you meant. I understand where you're coming from, and thanks for the input. But even if the weight is on the lower range of your estimates, I'm looking at 20 pounds. That's about 1% of the total car's weight. We always talk about it's not the individual parts that make up a powerful motor, it's the combination. Well it seems the same with a fast car.

I'll be looking into cutting the doors too, so thanks Chris. Likely will look at the webbing in the hood too, as it's free, and should work just the same as if it were there. Under-car aerodynamics as well.

This will all be done to my current daily driver. Rather, the unregistered, unsmogable, turbocharged crx out front, lol. It's not being driven much any more on the street, for fear of the popo taking it away, and I thought it'd be a good idea to go ahead and make an even larger project out of it. It keeps me out of trouble.

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

yes just get another set of doors and cut everything off cept the outer skin. then just cut a peice of plexi or lexan and rivet that bitch in place for a window.

you could do the same for the rear hatch. that rear window weighs alot obviosuly.

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

Yup.

Cut rebar out of the front and rear bumpers.

Lexan all the windows.

Remove all the wiper motors.

Gut the inside of the doors, especially the side impact beams.

That's probably 150 pounds of weight.

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

take out the gas tank also, add a smaller capacity fuel cell. cut out the rest of the rear floorboard and sheet metal it. tub out the rear maybe? depends really how far u want to take this.

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

as far as sheet metal..i wouldn't. you would have to use thick metal in order to get the same structural integrity of the formed metal in the floor boards and so on. which would make it heavier

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

---- structural integrity. rollcage ftw lol.

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

yes, but it's nice to attach the rollcage to something strong

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

yea the damn frame.

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

Attachment 25592

A picture speaks a thousand words. I need more pictures such as this one to really understand what I'm going to focus on. I hope the use of this picture is okay with Steve/BigTuna on d-series. I will remove it if need be.

I'm glad these suggestions are being thrown out there, as it points me to other areas to focus on, but I'm still looking for a more complete answer on how to do what I asked. I understand that maybe I'd figure it out if I just get out there and start cutting, but not knowing how far I can go safely, without compromising the soundness of the suspension/chassis is tough to determine without guidance. In other words, if you have pictures, show me what works, and I can go from there.

I'm not against welding in lighter cross-bars instead of heavier stuff if that's what needs to happen(in fact, that's what I was hoping for). This is going to be my first real fabrication project concerning the car, and I'm a little hesitant to just start hacking away without a goal.

Re: crx front end noob. What can I cut?
 

Like I said actually real weight savings cost money. A front crossmemeber to remove the ungodly stock unit. Fiberglass everything




There isnt much weight in front of a crx and removing it isnt doing anything. Doors,hatch,crossmember. Full removal air/heater system. Fuel cell. These are things that save weight



40 lbs isnt do anything except wasting time





front crossmember=250
fiberglass doors=600
fiberglass rear hatch=300



actual removal of weight priceless. Also you can build a custom wiring harness to control just the ecu and remove all the other odds and ends



Oh and get off d series it will only make you closed minded and believe all the nonsense that is spoken over there :1