+80lb weight loss for the track hounds...
10-26-2018, 01:24 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
+80lb weight loss for the track hounds...
I recently acquired a couple of sets of Manthey Racing Carbon fibre / Kevlar lightweight street doors for my car. These doors are offered by both Manthey Racing and RUF in their high end builds. The doors are fully TUV approved for street legal use in Germany. While there is no DOT approval, TUV is good enough for me. This version of the "street" doors contains a crash brace yet still weighs in at a slim 14 lbs each. Compare that to the OEM weight of the bare steel door shell at 55 lb and you will realize just over an 80lb weight savings for the pair. With these doors I will get my car just a few lbs below the magic 3000 mark with a complete GT2 interior ready to run without driver.
I don't get impressed very easily but the quality of these doors simply blows me away. These doors are made in in an aero$pace grade autoclave and are simply flawless. They are a direct replace of the OEM doors in every way. All the bolts-ins are there for the door handles, latches, airbags, power windows, door panels, etc, etc. A quick bolt on fitment check shows that the fitment and gaps are spot on. Due to the nature of the CF/Kevlar sandwich construction, the doors are unbelievably stiff, on par if not greater than the OEM doors. While lightweight, there is a feeling of heft to these doors unlike say a OEM Cup door which is as flimsy as a noodle due to any lack of interior bracing. The exterior finish even on the bare doors is superb. There is just a faint hint of the CF weave showing thought the finish which can be left alone of hidden with the appropriate paint prep products. The is zero waviness as the door skins are mirror smooth. I have already talked to my Porsche body guy and he was highly impressed as well, in his words "this is as good as it gets". I should get these painted body color and installed in the next month or two. Enjoy the pics...
I don't get impressed very easily but the quality of these doors simply blows me away. These doors are made in in an aero$pace grade autoclave and are simply flawless. They are a direct replace of the OEM doors in every way. All the bolts-ins are there for the door handles, latches, airbags, power windows, door panels, etc, etc. A quick bolt on fitment check shows that the fitment and gaps are spot on. Due to the nature of the CF/Kevlar sandwich construction, the doors are unbelievably stiff, on par if not greater than the OEM doors. While lightweight, there is a feeling of heft to these doors unlike say a OEM Cup door which is as flimsy as a noodle due to any lack of interior bracing. The exterior finish even on the bare doors is superb. There is just a faint hint of the CF weave showing thought the finish which can be left alone of hidden with the appropriate paint prep products. The is zero waviness as the door skins are mirror smooth. I have already talked to my Porsche body guy and he was highly impressed as well, in his words "this is as good as it gets". I should get these painted body color and installed in the next month or two. Enjoy the pics...
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10-26-2018, 04:08 PM
#4
Rennlist Member
Wow........beautiful pieces right there.
10-26-2018, 07:37 PM
#5
Three Wheelin'
Wow, very nice! Please how much? I bet this is one of those things that since I have to ask it will be much more than I am willing to pay..
10-27-2018, 01:33 AM
#7
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Just shy of $6K US delivery when all taxes duties customs stuff is added in. I bought two sets and the box the came in was gigantic, 68"x60"x18".
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10-27-2018, 10:32 PM
#9
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Thread Starter
10-29-2018, 09:14 AM
#10
Race Car
I've drooled over these for years but have never been able to justify the cost. Another forum member, ironically named John (911SLOW) had these way back in the day on his 996 GT3 which was down around or just under 2700 lbs if memory serves yet still had "full interior". He had the cargraphic lightweight carpet kit in his car which is a little ugly but still justifies having an interior.
...wish the build thread for his car was still around, it disappeared
...wish the build thread for his car was still around, it disappeared
11-01-2018, 01:03 PM
#12
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11-08-2018, 07:18 PM
#13
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Join Date: Feb 2004
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Great stuff! Finally! I have been on the edge with these ones many times...And your car is on a totally different level that this mod has really been the next important thing to do!
A major question is the weight savings mentioned. Sound too good to be true. You tell stock door is 55 lbs (25 kg), while two other independent sources refer to considerable smaller figures: Techart sells these same 996 carbon doors and they tell the stock doors weight 37lbs (16.8 kg) each, and a friend of mine changed to these doors and weighted his stock doors at 33lbs (15.4kg) each.
Due to these references, changing the stock doors to carbon doors and leaving all door related interior components in place would save just roughly 20kg (44lbs) (assuming the CF doors are 14lbs/6kg a piece) based on those two references, and while impressive savings that's why I have not been sure whether to do it. But now you speak about 80lbs savings (36kg) which is a lot greater amount, it's an amount that according to my understanding and the above reference weights would require cup doors without interior components, and even Manthey themselves refer in their 996 brochure to ~40kg (88 lbs) weight savings only with their competition 996 doors requiring full cage and all interior components out..
As an extra reference, friends have changed their 997 ALU doors to similar 6kg a piece CF doors and have saved in total 10kg of weight (22lbs). So once again compared to heavier 996 STEEL doors you save approx 20kg (44lbs) but surely not 80lbs when keeping other door interior components.
So, please double check your actual weight saving. Thanks and keep up the great work with the greatest 996!
A major question is the weight savings mentioned. Sound too good to be true. You tell stock door is 55 lbs (25 kg), while two other independent sources refer to considerable smaller figures: Techart sells these same 996 carbon doors and they tell the stock doors weight 37lbs (16.8 kg) each, and a friend of mine changed to these doors and weighted his stock doors at 33lbs (15.4kg) each.
Due to these references, changing the stock doors to carbon doors and leaving all door related interior components in place would save just roughly 20kg (44lbs) (assuming the CF doors are 14lbs/6kg a piece) based on those two references, and while impressive savings that's why I have not been sure whether to do it. But now you speak about 80lbs savings (36kg) which is a lot greater amount, it's an amount that according to my understanding and the above reference weights would require cup doors without interior components, and even Manthey themselves refer in their 996 brochure to ~40kg (88 lbs) weight savings only with their competition 996 doors requiring full cage and all interior components out..
As an extra reference, friends have changed their 997 ALU doors to similar 6kg a piece CF doors and have saved in total 10kg of weight (22lbs). So once again compared to heavier 996 STEEL doors you save approx 20kg (44lbs) but surely not 80lbs when keeping other door interior components.
So, please double check your actual weight saving. Thanks and keep up the great work with the greatest 996!
11-08-2018, 07:39 PM
#14
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Great stuff! Finally! I have been on the edge with these ones many times...And your car is on a totally different level that this mod has really been the next important thing to do!
A major question is the weight savings mentioned. Sound too good to be true. You tell stock door is 55 lbs (25 kg), while two other independent sources refer to considerable smaller figures: Techart sells these same 996 carbon doors and they tell the stock doors weight 37lbs (16.8 kg) each, and a friend of mine changed to these doors and weighted his stock doors at 33lbs (15.4kg) each.
Due to these references, changing the stock doors to carbon doors and leaving all door related interior components in place would save just roughly 20kg (44lbs) (assuming the CF doors are 14lbs/6kg a piece) based on those two references, and while impressive savings that's why I have not been sure whether to do it. But now you speak about 80lbs savings (36kg) which is a lot greater amount, it's an amount that according to my understanding and the above reference weights would require cup doors without interior components, and even Manthey themselves refer in their 996 brochure to ~40kg (88 lbs) weight savings only with their competition 996 doors requiring full cage and all interior components out..
As an extra reference, friends have changed their 997 ALU doors to similar 6kg a piece CF doors and have saved in total 10kg of weight (22lbs). So once again compared to heavier 996 STEEL doors you save approx 20kg (44lbs) but surely not 80lbs when keeping other door interior components.
So, please double check your actual weight saving. Thanks and keep up the great work with the greatest 996!
A major question is the weight savings mentioned. Sound too good to be true. You tell stock door is 55 lbs (25 kg), while two other independent sources refer to considerable smaller figures: Techart sells these same 996 carbon doors and they tell the stock doors weight 37lbs (16.8 kg) each, and a friend of mine changed to these doors and weighted his stock doors at 33lbs (15.4kg) each.
Due to these references, changing the stock doors to carbon doors and leaving all door related interior components in place would save just roughly 20kg (44lbs) (assuming the CF doors are 14lbs/6kg a piece) based on those two references, and while impressive savings that's why I have not been sure whether to do it. But now you speak about 80lbs savings (36kg) which is a lot greater amount, it's an amount that according to my understanding and the above reference weights would require cup doors without interior components, and even Manthey themselves refer in their 996 brochure to ~40kg (88 lbs) weight savings only with their competition 996 doors requiring full cage and all interior components out..
As an extra reference, friends have changed their 997 ALU doors to similar 6kg a piece CF doors and have saved in total 10kg of weight (22lbs). So once again compared to heavier 996 STEEL doors you save approx 20kg (44lbs) but surely not 80lbs when keeping other door interior components.
So, please double check your actual weight saving. Thanks and keep up the great work with the greatest 996!
The numbers come from a friend of mine that is currently doing the conversion on his car. He weighed the naked oem doors back to back with the Mantheys. I will be doing the swap over the winter and can verify then.
11-09-2018, 01:01 PM
#15
Rennlist Member
Thanks for sharing the info. Very impressive! Putting them on my wish list. 