Inner fender removal for weight reduction?
- Thread starter 66Valiant528
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B.R.E.Demon
Well-Known Member
Like the build especially to see another guy from Mass Originally from Wareham myself a couple tips if you plan to go down the weight reduction route would be check out this thread it gives 100's of ideas Real world weight loss program and it` cost.......... also if you look at my build you will see what can be done also as im going full tilt on weight reduction during this overhaul of the car. Bostonian 71 demon
My best friend lives in Pocassett now. Being from Mass do you know Chris Damiano and the Abracadabra 68 Roadrunner up at Epping? I will check out your suggestions thank you. Car is already somewhat lightened up....lexan everywhere but the drivers door and both fly windows. 3 regulators removed. I think the flywindow assemblies weigh alot as they are front glass runs as well. Maybe just "chop" them below the cat whiskers.
Weight reduction, it's a waste of time IMO. They weigh very little and provide a lot of structure to the front end.
Clearance, yes. Take them out and replace with bars.
If you take them out and do nothing, measure the flex in the front end with them installed and removed. Jack up the front off K frame. Measure how high the lower rad cradle gets when the front wheels lift off the ground in both configurations. Most all that energy gets transferred to the short area of the floor pan and trans X-member spot welds when the inners are gone.
Clearance, yes. Take them out and replace with bars.
If you take them out and do nothing, measure the flex in the front end with them installed and removed. Jack up the front off K frame. Measure how high the lower rad cradle gets when the front wheels lift off the ground in both configurations. Most all that energy gets transferred to the short area of the floor pan and trans X-member spot welds when the inners are gone.
B.R.E.Demon
Well-Known Member
Yep I know of those guys I would run against Steve clukey's 70 duster before going to a hemi I was one of the south eastern mass guys that would crew for Ray Helger. Yes that would be good I've all but stripped mine completely once done I plan to bring the car back home for some racing at epping my family's been part of that track since the beginnings
Cluky has a Lenco too!
B.R.E.Demon
Well-Known Member
Yes I have a lenco for the prostock also but for now im sticking with a 4 speed
Not to mention you turn the engine bay into a parachute! Anyone I know that removed inner fenders has actually slowed down.
The engine bay is a parachute with the fender wells in place. One of the reasons raising the rear of the hood to let the air out was done by many. Removing the fender wells opens the side of the close box and Lets the air out.
That is just what I thought! Thanks for the verification. Parachute is bad. I'm already having the scoop try to rip the hood off so I'm going to do the oh so non mopar cowel set up.
Damn it....now I'm back to don't know what to do. Well glass bumpers and light weight brackets are on there way.
I would bet that depends on alot of things, like hood type. I picture it as pushing a piece of plywood down the track (the firewall) I can't imagine it creates a smooth vortex. Just turbulates the air. Like I said, I have only seen removing them, slow people down.
When you land on a jet plane, the engines don't "reverse" to slow down, they pop vents that shoot a bunch of turbulent air out the engines at a near horizontal direction. The turbulence slows the plane. Not reverse thrust. Jets can't back taxi using "reverse thrust" because there isn't any. It just big bellows of turbulent air.
We may both be right in some instances, but the above is how I picture it having been through aviation studies.
Isn't that backwards?
Not how I see it working in my head.
Funnel is probably not the best example, but there's just more area for pressurized air to escape with the aprons off.
What about the wheels acting as fans ?
I didn't know they did that.
Me neither. Saw it mentioned. Don't know.
I suppose if the wheels were designed to do that like 93 cobra mustang wheels they could but skinny front runners I can't imagine it would do much of that
I'm holding off chopping them and will try some more weight loss. I could stand to lose 22 pounds myself !
Not only does it allow pressurized air to flow out of the engine compartment it also drops the heat in the engine compartment 5-10 degrees. The flat firewall acting as a piece of plywood I would disagree. The floor pan pushes the air coming through the radiator under the car
. The air above that gets trapped. Raising the hood lets it out. Opening the sides also lets it out. As far as wheels acting as fans? CSX's had pumper wheels there were lefts and rights . They forced air inward and were used to cool the brakes.
My experience,
I added a air scoop under the bumper for cooling. I was on a hard pull up hill. Wound second to 8500 and was pulling hard in drive . At about 120 mph the RPM's climbed like the trans left go. I left off and the next thing was loss of steering. Air got under the car and lifted it. I never experienced anything like that ever. I removed the air scoop under the bumper and lifted the hood and the car stayed on the ground.
The trapped air caused lift. It was not from the scoop it is sealed to the breather.
The best way to eliminate engine compartment drag is a one piece front.
I will be using one now on the new build
. The air above that gets trapped. Raising the hood lets it out. Opening the sides also lets it out. As far as wheels acting as fans? CSX's had pumper wheels there were lefts and rights . They forced air inward and were used to cool the brakes.
My experience,
I added a air scoop under the bumper for cooling. I was on a hard pull up hill. Wound second to 8500 and was pulling hard in drive . At about 120 mph the RPM's climbed like the trans left go. I left off and the next thing was loss of steering. Air got under the car and lifted it. I never experienced anything like that ever. I removed the air scoop under the bumper and lifted the hood and the car stayed on the ground.
The trapped air caused lift. It was not from the scoop it is sealed to the breather.
The best way to eliminate engine compartment drag is a one piece front.
I will be using one now on the new build
You'll get that 22 pounds off pulling your vent window frame and glass, that a surprisingly heavy piece.
No 1 piece front ends available that I've found for pre 67 A bodies.
ValiantS
Well-Known Member
For what it's worth my car has the inners removed completely. Of course it's reinforced at the shock towers with strut bars like should be regardless if they serve as weight bearing or just shock mounts. My car seems to mph better than it should given the combo so, I doubt there's an increase in aero drag.
Look at that avatar !
Dude....way to go, really impressive.
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