Weight Loss Table

Discussion in 'Race 400/430/455' started by dr, Jan 6, 2009.

  1. Justa350

    Justa350 I'm BACK!

    I am still designing the headlight area, but it will allow for normal headlight adjustments. In my car, the radiator is going to be supported by a separate bracket setup off the frame. I could make more of a factory style design though to allow for the stock location.

    Now I need to get an aluminum radiator to compliment the ultra-light core support!
     
  2. carmantx

    carmantx Never Surrender

    Weighed the 70 car Tyler has been working on this weekend at the dragstrip. 3000# very excited. He did a lot of work..
     
  3. dr

    dr Well-Known Member

    Very nice. What do you feel was the best money spent to lose the weight?
     
  4. carmantx

    carmantx Never Surrender

    Flaming hack saw....aka cutting torch.

    Seriously, though, every oz counts and for a race car, he cut out a lot of pieces that should not be cut out for a restoration or daily driver. He cut out pass through from back seat to trunk, trunk supports/hinges, underside of trunk lid, door braces and inside panel. Glass is all replaced with lexan type except front windshield. We custom wired all components, no original wiring in the car.

    Tyler got fiberglass hood, fenders, and bumpers and made the brackets for all of those. There is a lot of weight loss there.
     
  5. nelson20

    nelson20 Well-Known Member

  6. BP_Motorworks

    BP_Motorworks Ragtop Racer

    You can cut cut cut on a car but I say just make the power. That is a whole lot easier and a lot less time. The new weight of my car with exhaust removed is 2890 and it is a small tire factory suspended convertible with full cage. Looks like most of the lightweight options have been addressed. If I get some time I can take some pictures of mine and few extra tricks I did to lighten it up. They either cost a lot or take a lot of time. I spent about $2000.00 to lose 40 pounds and that could have gone to a new block or crank. The problem with my car is it is too light to class race and too slow if I add weight to it and somewhat too radical to cruise. So its basically an expensive dust collector.

    Blair
     
  7. badbuik

    badbuik Well-Known Member

    Blair, I'm really interested in how you got a convertible to be that light. My '65 rag top drag car is gutted, and had a bunch on "lightening" done to it, and pretty sure without me in, it's still over 3300lbs.
    What fiberglass body parts do you have? I'm pretty sure I could get about 75lbs. more out but it would cost well over $1500. A bigger nitrous jet is easier, and way cheaper>

    Gary G.
     
  8. BP_Motorworks

    BP_Motorworks Ragtop Racer

    Some of the main ones:

    1) The back of the frame after the rear end was cut off, so the last body mount you have for the trunk will no longer be used for anything nor will the trunk.
    2) The front of the frame was cut and scuplted, no more box steering, I had to use a rack and pinion.
    3) The additional metal (or what looked like additional metal) on the frame from the front floor panel to the rear floor panel was cut. I have a full moly cage so no need for it.
    4) No back seat, i cut all that out and replaced with an aluminum tub (should of tubbed the car but some idiot from S&W said you cannot put the top down with a wheel tube installed, what a bunch of garbage)
    5) The whole trunk bottom was cut out and replaced with a carbon fiber type flooring)
    6) All the firewall and cowl panel was cut out and replaced with a carbon fiber type covering. I will have to take pictures to explain this.
    7) I cut the crash beams out of the doors with a plasma cutter (WARNING: I do not recommend this, it almost ruined my doors) plus no door locks, almost all of the metal behind the door panel was removed as long as the windows rolled up and down
    8) No body mounts, the body is directly on the frame
    9) Scuplted upper A Arms, sculpted rear upper control arm support, home built trans crossmember
    10) 4 3/4 gallon fuel tank up front
    11) 32 holes where drilled in the front core support. (What a waste of time)
    12) 1/4" thick motor plates cut on waterjet that weigh nothing, also I have a 2 peice mid plate I made by watejet that weighs only 1.5 lb with fasteners
    13) Front fenders had metal removed (of course no inner fenders)
    14) Braile battery (only weighs 21 lbs) I used to run two 40 lb batteries
    15) Lexan windsheild
    16) Aluminum rear end center section and lightened aluminum brake drums
    17) Carbon Fiber Driveshaft
    18) Fiberglass bumpers, hood, and trunklid
    19) Drilled front brake rotors with only the essentials to make it stop
    20) No grill (thats 14 lbs) (I have plans on making a billet one with a waterjet that will be half the weight)
    21) Mounts that your top pivots on can be cut way down (your top will be manual from then on)
    22) You can disassemble your steering column and change the shaft from a solid one to a hollow one for 3 lbs (Its a waste of time but I did it)
    23) No e brake, all of that is gone, I know one guy who removed the pass side rear brake drum but I am not going that far.
    24) There is a special manual master cylinder you can get from autozone that is pretty light but requires a bracket to be made to bolt up to the firewall. Made that with the waterjet also.
    25) No front seat sliders, they weigh too much. If the passenger complains about it tell them next time they get in there will be no seat or seat belt for them at all. LOL

    It was a royal pain mounting the bumpers because there was no frame to mount them too

    Pros: The car is light and most people never realize it (2890 is with the pass seat and seat belt removed)
    Cons: The front fenders wobble at idle, one day I wonder if my front bumper will come off and I run over it at the track or the back one. People always slam my doors because they think they are old heavy doors. Sitting on my front fenders while working on the car is not a good thing. It would be hard to put a fuel cell back into the trunk and one day I might want that.

    Bottom line: Just make the freaking power.

    Blair
     
  9. td99

    td99 Well-Known Member

    any one have a picture of a trimmed bumper bracket?

    Cody
     
  10. td99

    td99 Well-Known Member

    anybody? haha
     
  11. carmantx

    carmantx Never Surrender

    trimmed stock one?
    Tyler built ours from aluminum.
     
  12. td99

    td99 Well-Known Member

    post up either.
    Cody
     
  13. Tom Righter

    Tom Righter Well-Known Member

    once you get your bumpers located/lined up,drill two 1/2 inch holes as close as possible, thru the bracket and frame then you can saw almost all the bracket off.when done just use 2 1/2 bolts per side to hold bumper up ,thats what I did, whats remaining doesn't weigh much at all.
     
  14. td99

    td99 Well-Known Member

    so Tom, you have 2 bolts per side total? 1 attching the bracket to the bumper and 1 attching the bracket to the frame?

    Cody
     
  15. Tom Righter

    Tom Righter Well-Known Member

    cody,two per side,bumper to frame so it can't pivot.
     
  16. td99

    td99 Well-Known Member

    ok Tom ill give it a whirl
     
  17. td99

    td99 Well-Known Member

    just finished up my cross member. it weighs 5.3 pounds. next up bumper brackets.

    Cody
     
  18. carmantx

    carmantx Never Surrender

    Post a picture Cody, let's see what you did.
     
  19. td99

    td99 Well-Known Member

    you know i was going to take a pic before i put it on but didn't:Dou: it may take a day or two but i'll get my buddies digital camera and post it for you guys.

    Cody
     
  20. td99

    td99 Well-Known Member

    the pictures are not the best
     

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