Did not mean to say there were no Zs in Japan. There are many but it's not that mainstream. Probably about the same as the U.S.

The Z really isn't that fat when you consider everything. The best way to make it thinner is to trash the material. I think Nissan should have made the car out of fiberglass and the Nismo with carbon-fiber bits (Fenders, etc.)

This would have allowed them to keep most everything the same, yet shaved a good bit of weight, eliminated door-ding potential mostly, etc. The only thing is crash-ratings, and I am not an automotive engineer so I don't know how changing from aluminum sheet to CF/glass would effect the need to add support beams that werent necessary before, if at all.

^^$$$$$$$$

The thin body panel sheetmetal plays practically no part in crash absorption. The frame crumple zones and side door guard beams do it all. Not sure if fiberglass would be lighter than the very thin aluminum that is only 0.8 to about 1.1 mm thick anyway.
Carbon fiber would do it but too expensive.

When a new project is undertaken the cost people extablish a cost to weight ratio for designers of all parts. Such as you can increase your part cost by 100 Yen for every 0.05 KG you can remove. Only way to keep a handle on a bunch of guys that that want this weight out too.

Would 100 pounds off make that much difference in handling?

I don't know about handling, but for every hundred pounds you lose you drop one tenth off the quarter mile.

100 pounds less would definitely make a difference in handling dependent upon where the weight loss comes from. Heck 50 pounds makes a nice difference...

Keep it even 50 front 50 rear. :stirthepot:

Curious where does the Nismo group work? Do they take 370Z Chassis from manufacturing lines and build the cars in a different location? Is there a good resource to learn more about 370Z Nismo and who is involved with building of these great cars?

I go to Japan on quarterly basis. Mostly Yokohama where I often will take a walk from YCAT terminal through the Nissan World headquarters building where they have many of their cars on display.

I'd love to see where the Nismo cars are conceived and built if I have time there next time.

The 370 are all built together on the same production line at Tochigi, left hand drive, right hand drive, touring, Nismo. To them it is the same car just a few different parts get bolted on. You can take the public tour they do of the factory in Tochigi (all in Japanese with no interpreter unfortunately), I'd love to go some day. I believe you can register on the Nissan Japan web site.

Cool good info...:tiphat: