What made the 280 weigh so much more than the 240? What can be removed to slim her down. I'd like to get to the lightest possible.

Put lighter stuff.Maybe carbon if u rich.Remove interior and make it naked look with just basic things inside.Maybe take off mirrors,bumpers,antena,window cleaners I dont know.Just try something like that and it will be lighter

...from everything I've read, the true weight difference between the 240z and 280z isn't quite apparent from what's recorded in documents from the period; differences in the way weight was measured, net and gross, and the equipment level of the cars should be taken into account, and I've heard the weights do converge more than one would think.

Of course, the 280z is porkier. This can biol down to-

-Thicker metal, with additional chassis reinforcement for increased stiffness.
-Crash bars in the doors.
-Of course, the bumpers.
-Some extra smog gear, though due to the EFI in the 280z, there's less of this than one would think.
-A higher level of spec on later cars compared to earlier (though mostly this boils down to more cars having AC and auto.

...My stock 280z doesn't feel heavy though

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well some points have been made, let me make some more

Reasons why its heavier...
crash bars
thicker metal
CAME undercoated from factory (that was an OPTION on early cars)
5 speed vs 4 speed
EFI vs CARBS (bigger tank, pump, electronics/wiring, etc)
Smog,all that entails, plus cat/extra mufflers
Bumpers are 15mph vs skinny 5mph
bigger/better brakes
bigger/better R200 setup vs early R180 rear end
thicker driveshafts
a/c and all that entails (rare/expensive OPTION on early cars, later cars most all had them/were added)


...the list could go on if we get really picky but start with what i listed and i am pretty sure you can ditch around 3-500# of stuff depending on how "light" you want to go, and how you go about it.

Yeah it would take quite a bit to get the 280z to 240z weight. Alot was of it was really to improve safety and more rigid body. Also I believe 240z has no sway bars. And there steering box is aluminum and have a bit better responsive feel.

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1981 celica gta
1983 civic 1500 (DD)
1987 nissan 200sx (sold)
1971 celica....rusty

S30's don't have steering boxes, they are rack and pinion.

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...................www.nostalgictrio.com...................

 he is right sorry bout that.

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1981 celica gta
1983 civic 1500 (DD)
1987 nissan 200sx (sold)
1971 celica....rusty

wow so much wrong info in this thread...if you dont know what youre talking about/the answer you probably shouldnt talk/give wrong info.

240z has no rear swaybar....alot of people add this as it helps the car handle

the 280zs have thicker metal and arent as rusty/wont get that way as easy as 240s based on that alone

best as i can see pancho you dont own an s30 240z or 280z so what knowledge are you going off of?

I have started a good list for you and i know FIRSTHAND that a 280z can be just as light or lighter than a 240z without swapping panels for glass/cf...its called cleaning up the car and dropping the obvious weight again i wish the OP would explain a "goal weight" and his goals for the car because obviously if he wants to drive it often and have a full interior/ac/heat/etc then you cant save the weight there.

But again for the difference in taillights and turn signals the PRO's from the 280 -rear swaybar, R200vsR180, 4vs5spd, etc why the hell would you want an early car just to have to do all of that work lol makes no sense to me.

shoot me a pm or email and i can help you out with anything 280z related, parts, info, and tips/tricks to get more out of it.

No goal weight or anything. My friend has a 240, and we got in an kind of argument over what was a better vehicle, the 280 or the 240. I was saying that the 280 has fuel injection and whatnot, bla bla. He said it was a heavy lug to pull.

Basically I was looking at a couple of these z cars and noticed the curb weight on the 280 was like 500 pounds more than the 240. I was wondering why it was so much heavier.

ya'll can settle the bickering by taking a looky here....

http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/top ... fferences/

Now i will say over and over 280z, why you ask, because if youre stuck on weight, by the time you ditch some extras....like ac (that some 240s might have and most 280s do have) & the huge bumpers the weight is already 150-200#s closer....now again alot of weight is gained because of parts/# of more parts, then again all the 280s parts are better.

like the bigger dif, 5 spd, thicker pans/rails (so they dont rust out as easy), thicker driveshafts, bigger/better brakes...etc

not to mention the 280s are easier to find, normally cheaper, and after you ditch the weight are about the same in any race, then again if you want to put efi on a 240 you have to swap everything, whereas adding carbs on the 280 is alot easier and alot less time....and you end up with the bigger motor =)

sorry didnt mean to call rack and pinion a steering box, And meant to say to rear sway bar. And i do own a 1973 240z. But i do agree that the 280z does have have weight for improvements/safety. i did base it off the hybrid z reading up on it. But man dont bust my balls.

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1981 celica gta
1983 civic 1500 (DD)
1987 nissan 200sx (sold)
1971 celica....rusty

Sorry, he only has one speed. And that's it.

HAHA yessir mr roper is right, im a ball buster because i get tired of all the do da do's on the 240z bandwagon....but again the CAR isnt any heavier (maybe 50# if that) if you strip 2 shells you would be surprised, and thats a SERIES 1 240 NOT the later fatter ones like your 73.

Also the later 280z's are far cheaper to buy, cheaper to replace parts on, and cheaper interior parts, etc....i have a ton of reasons to argue why 280z's are better and i have yet to have a 240 guy give me a better reason for owning the earlier cars....unless we are talking about a fully restored/original perfect car, which then again there is a 78 black pearl edition (very limited numbers car) that i could argue is worth just as much as a nice series 1.

I always find it interesting that owners of various makes of car will strip half-pound gadgets off the car till it's sparse and barren, but neglect the fact that they may maintain fifty pounds or so of excess body fat.

Rejoice, 280z owners... We're all just an Atkins away from a 240z

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lmafo.!! .... nice

Cam tell you why my 240z is better than the 280zs around here........... It was a lot cheaper yay

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1981 celica gta
1983 civic 1500 (DD)
1987 nissan 200sx (sold)
1971 celica....rusty