Getting A Dark Horse to 3700 Pounds?

[NovaSayan]

Hey all, if everything goes according to plan, I will likely have an A10 Dark Horse by the end of the year. It'll be automatic because it will be my daily, and dealing with stop-and-go rush hour DC traffic for work in a manual isn't something I want to live with. I know these 10r80 Dark Horses are around 3950-3990 lbs. My goal is to get it to the 3700 to 3750 range, and I was hoping for some insight in getting it there while retaining the full interior. My current plans in putting the car on a diet would be:

- Forged DHP1 Wheels: ~35 lbs
- Lightweight Battery: ~30 lbs
- Aluminum Driveshaft: ~10 lbs
- Carbon Fiber Hood: ~14 lbs
- Carbon Fiber Trunk: ~10 lbs
- Steeda (or BMR) K-Member: ~30 lbs

That'll bring the weight to about 3820-3860 pounds. Not too bad so far, but currently struggling to figure out if another 100 pounds is possible.

In case these questions arise:
- I don't want a Mach 1, which is lighter, since I owned a 2021 Mustang GT for about 4 years. Was hoping to get into an s650, and am in love with the Blue Ember Dark Horse's looks.
- I don't want an S650 GT, which is lighter, since I would like to do some track days, and appreciate the goodies that come with the Dark Horse
- A Camaro SS 1LE is really enticing, but I appreciate the extra room that comes in the Mustang, and the Coyote is a more exciting engine to me

Are there lighter cars and equally capable cars? Yes. But the Dark Horse has the combination of comfort, daily-ability, trackability, tuneability, looks, and sound that seem perfect for me. Just want to put it on a bit of a diet!

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[Sofa King]

Rear seat delete? Unless you need the seat...

 

[NovaSayan]

Rear seat delete? Unless you need the seat...

Was planning to keep the rear seats. I know it's a good 30 lbs, but I used the rear seats on my 2021 GT more than I expected lol

 

[Q6543]

Biggest thing is ditching the brakes for lightweight race setups and gut interior etc

my 300a GT 10t80 scaled at 3720 off the lot.

 

[Paul's stable]

Hey all, if everything goes according to plan, I will likely have an A10 Dark Horse by the end of the year. It'll be automatic because it will be my daily, and dealing with stop-and-go rush hour DC traffic for work in a manual isn't something I want to live with. I know these 10r80 Dark Horses are around 3950-3990 lbs. My goal is to get it to the 3700 to 3750 range, and I was hoping for some insight in getting it there while retaining the full interior. My current plans in putting the car on a diet would be:

- Forged DHP1 Wheels: ~35 lbs
- Lightweight Battery: ~30 lbs
- Aluminum Driveshaft: ~10 lbs
- Carbon Fiber Hood: ~14 lbs
- Carbon Fiber Trunk: ~10 lbs
- Steeda (or BMR) K-Member: ~30 lbs

That'll bring the weight to about 3820-3860 pounds. Not too bad so far, but currently struggling to figure out if another 100 pounds is possible.

In case these questions arise:
- I don't want a Mach 1, which is lighter, since I owned a 2021 Mustang GT for about 4 years. Was hoping to get into an s650, and am in love with the Blue Ember Dark Horse's looks.
- I don't want an S650 GT, which is lighter, since I would like to do some track days, and appreciate the goodies that come with the Dark Horse
- A Camaro SS 1LE is really enticing, but I appreciate the extra room that comes in the Mustang, and the Coyote is a more exciting engine to me

Are there lighter cars and equally capable cars? Yes. But the Dark Horse has the combination of comfort, daily-ability, trackability, tuneability, looks, and sound that seem perfect for me. Just want to put it on a bit of a diet!

Tires and rims, rad support might help lighter seats. Trunk mat, floor mats. Rear seat belts, or for some good weight look into a nice rear seat delete kit's. Good luck.

 

[scoots]

Remove engine cover, aluminum strut tower brace instead of the stamped steel.

 

[GooberDH]

Don't forget to replace the inner door handles with straps and take a fat dump before track day

I think you nailed all the big/easy stuff. Maybe titanium exhaust if they even make one for this car, replacing the resonator with a X/H pipe would definitely shed a few pounds.

 

[5LTR550]

2peice rotors also. Rotational mass too

 

[scoots]

It was stated that the Borla atak catback was about 30lbs less than the factory active exhaust on my 2019 GT.

 

[goodlettjr]

I have been looking at efficiency over HP lately. Here's a list of areas I have been focusing on in this order. Some don't apply to my build but I listed them anyways. Some of this is extreme if you are using it as a daily. It is more track focused and expensive. I would look at bang for my buck and then work on my driving skills to continue to get faster. If you have been tracking for years and years, then this list may not be complete enough for your liking.

Rotational and unsprung weight
Wheels
2 piece brake rotors
Driveshaft - Aluminum or CF
Tires
Titanium lug nuts - some tracks don't allow them

Exterior and Body panels
Battery - Lithium Ion
Hood - CF
Trunk - CF
Doors - CF
Exhaust - Catback
Resonator delete - your choice for replacement
Titanium exhaust - Full


Chassis
K-member - tubular style
Shocks / coilovers
Control arms

Interior
Rear seat delete
Fixed back seats (racing seats)
Jack and tow hook removal
Sound deadening removal

Engine Bay
Lightweight water pump pulley
Engine cover and plastic items

 

[Gojiras breath]

I got my 03 mach 1 under 3000 lbs. I think stock is 3600 lbs. Some things (not mentioned yet) that might apply without losing comfort.

Full trunk gutted. Insulation, carpet, etc
Removed interior carpet, peeled off insulation and reinstalled.
Tubular bumpers front and back (replaces flat steel plate under the bumper cover)
Removed underhood insulation
Removed foglights
Longtube headers

 

[robvas]

I got my 03 mach 1 under 3000 lbs. I think stock is 3600 lbs.

I remember those as being 3450

the cobra was 3650 and had:
Iron block
Supercharger
T56
IRS

an easy 200lbs plus difference

 

[BimmerDriver]

Race seats.

Honestly though, it seems like a lot of trouble and expense for minimal improvements.

 

[IceGamer]

Your options so far are very feasible. However, if you want loose significantly more weight you have to sacrifice comfort and/or spend a fortune...

There's a reason why Porsche is so dominant although they lack horsepower on paper.

 

[NovaSayan]

Tires and rims, rad support might help lighter seats. Trunk mat, floor mats. Rear seat belts, or for some good weight look into a nice rear seat delete kit's. Good luck.

Appreciate it, even though most of that would reduce a few pounds, it'll go a long way

Don't forget to replace the inner door handles with straps and take a fat dump before track day

I think you nailed all the big/easy stuff. Maybe titanium exhaust if they even make one for this car, replacing the resonator with a X/H pipe would definitely shed a few pounds.

I was really considering titanium exhaust, I know valvetronic and valved exhaust makes some. But I've also heard because of the intense heat cycles, titanium exhaust can crack and is overall less durable than stainless steel?

Race seats.

Honestly though, it seems like a lot of trouble and expense for minimal improvements.

That's true, but I will say, the Recaro Sportster seats have caught my eye

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