smalblokmopar
Well-Known Member
Do you guys know how much lighter feather duster hoods and fenders are compared to standard dusters.
feather duster hood and fenders
- Thread starter smalblokmopar
- Start date
-
sobiecam
College Student
i remember reading that at least the hood was made of aluminum
HemiMark
Well-Known Member
The shipping weight for the feather duster was around 2,700 pounds. the regular Duster was 2800 or so? anyone?
sobiecam
College Student
besides the hood the decklid was also aluminum
HemiMark
Well-Known Member
from a mopar muscle article..........
"I knew nothing about the Feather Duster, other than Darell saying they were rare. Most people thought it was just a neat phrase I made up. But I found out it was an economy option package ($50.56) featuring lightweight components." Mike's car features the aluminum inner hood and trunk-lid panels and aluminum front and rear bumper mounts designed to make the Duster as light as a . . . well, you know. The crash-resistant bumper mounts and the transmission casing are also aluminum. A fiberboard headliner and pop-out windows also trimmed off weight. The shipping weight for these cars was around 2,700 pounds. As a result, they were getting as much as 20 mpg in town and 36 mpg on the highway, numbers comparable to today's economy cars.
smalblokmopar
Well-Known Member
I found a feather duster hood on ebay but thought the weight loss was much more every pound hepls I guess.
Backtobasics
Well-Known Member
I will be honest, it can't be all that much. The substructure is aluminum, the top is steel. Unless you can pick them up for a song, I wouldn't knock your self out tracking them down or spend a fortune on them.
smalblokmopar
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the addvise I will look for the thread.
From Allpar.
"The Feather Duster included aluminum replacements for the inner hood, trunk bracing, bumper brackets, and intake manifold, cutting weight by 180 lb (around 5%). It had a smaller single barrel carburetor, economy distributor calibration, large exhaust, and a 2.8:1 rear axle ratio, with a choice of three-speed automatic or four-speed overdrive manual transmission.
While acceleration was compromised, the Feather Duster was now rated at 22 mpg city, 31 highway with the automatic (a stunning 24 city, 36 highway with the manual), and was larger inside than many other economy cars, though acceleration took a hit. The Feather Duster was a fine alternative to the extra-slow Japanese imports that customers were waiting to buy, at list price; or at least it would have been, had more people considered it over the quick-rusting Coronas, Civics, and Datsuns of the time"
And if the A31 package dropped 180 lbs. from the curb weight, a /6 Feather Duster should weigh in around 2900#s and a V8 one should come in around 3050#'s.
"The Feather Duster included aluminum replacements for the inner hood, trunk bracing, bumper brackets, and intake manifold, cutting weight by 180 lb (around 5%). It had a smaller single barrel carburetor, economy distributor calibration, large exhaust, and a 2.8:1 rear axle ratio, with a choice of three-speed automatic or four-speed overdrive manual transmission.
While acceleration was compromised, the Feather Duster was now rated at 22 mpg city, 31 highway with the automatic (a stunning 24 city, 36 highway with the manual), and was larger inside than many other economy cars, though acceleration took a hit. The Feather Duster was a fine alternative to the extra-slow Japanese imports that customers were waiting to buy, at list price; or at least it would have been, had more people considered it over the quick-rusting Coronas, Civics, and Datsuns of the time"
And if the A31 package dropped 180 lbs. from the curb weight, a /6 Feather Duster should weigh in around 2900#s and a V8 one should come in around 3050#'s.
SirDan
Well-Known Member
fenders are just normal fenders. The hood would be worth going with if you didn't want to go with a fiberglass hood but wanted some weight loss.
Dartnut
Don't hate me because i'm beautiful
I have the hood, trunk lid, and bumpers with the aluminum inside supports off of a Dart Lite that i got years ago.
They are noticeably lighter than regular production stuff, the bumpers are still realatively heavy though.
I should weigh them for comparison.
I do know the hood and the trunk lid are steel outer and aluminum inner structures.
The aluminum parts are crimped to the outer steel skin.
I will weigh them and post some pics in the spring when i can get to them.
There's 2 feet of snow on them now!
They are noticeably lighter than regular production stuff, the bumpers are still realatively heavy though.
I should weigh them for comparison.
I do know the hood and the trunk lid are steel outer and aluminum inner structures.
The aluminum parts are crimped to the outer steel skin.
I will weigh them and post some pics in the spring when i can get to them.
There's 2 feet of snow on them now!
daniel_depetro
Well-Known Member
I do not have a Feather Duster hood yet, however I did weigh a Feather Duster / Dart Lite deck lid that I have which is in mint/perfect shape.
30.00 lbs.
Burntorange70 said he weighed his stock deck lid and it was ~37 lbs.
I'd ssay that's a 6 lbs. - 8 lbs. weight loss for just the deck lid.
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=144221
30.00 lbs.
Burntorange70 said he weighed his stock deck lid and it was ~37 lbs.
I'd ssay that's a 6 lbs. - 8 lbs. weight loss for just the deck lid.
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=144221
Bulldozer
free ice cream sandwiches
only the under structures are aluminum, not the entire hood or deck lid
FYI not all feather dusters came with all the weight saving panels. Mine has the bumpers and hood but the deck lid is all steel. Unless a some point someone changed it with a correct color steel one. Also one thing I found on mine is the door glass is some 0.020" thinner than other duster glass I measured.
-
