Weight savings

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Mopower71

Mopower71

Speed Demon
Joined
May 31, 2004
Messages
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Location
Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Where would you cut weight in you car if it were for race only and didn't have the money to spend on fiberglass?

My Demon already has a fiberglass hood, and no passenger seat. The rear seat is still there but needs to come out, and a firewall installed.
I've heard of people cutting pieces out of their doors that saved a bunch. Not sure what they chopped out. Pictures would be good.

Looking for sugestions.
 
I must apologized now, for what I'm about to say. I just have to say it. Why would you want to cut up a classic muscle car like the Demon? :shock: If you haven't notice, the A-body is becoming really popular and a car like the Demon is really hard to come by. I know its not my car, but if you might want to sell the car someday. The car will be worth alot more if its intacked. Taking thing out, like the seats, radio, chrome strip is alright. You can always put them back in later. Ok, :pale: Just wanted to put my 2 cents in.

Larry G
 
also remove the heater, wipers/motor, a fiberglass bumper with light brackets (i assume you meant not femders or doors by no fiberglass), carpet padding, if currently power steering, go manual, headers, aluminum heads, aluminum intake, aluminum water pump (and housing if big block), aluminum radiator, monoleaf or coilover rear suspension.

there's surely more, but beyond that, you'd get into cutting up the car and i don't think that's really necessary
 
If I was really worried about the weight of my car. (which is a Demon) I would lose about 40 pounds. I weigh 230 pounds. That would save money on the grocery bill to.

Jack
 
Norm your thinking of the door beems. They are pretty heavy from what I hear. Not sure what the first year they used them was but I think it was 72. You could take them out and no one would know.

Back seat, light front seats are a good way to start.

I tossed my heater and radio, Extra carpet padding is gone, Battery in the trunk, plastic fuel cell, small starter. If you cant remove it all together try moving it back as far as you can.
 
After market front brakes, lexan windows, core support, K frame-tubular, aluminum radiator, aluminum wheels, all door guts.

I agree with earlier post. If you have a nice Demon dont cut it up. Its your car thopugh.
 
Coyote Jack said:
If I was really worried about the weight of my car. (which is a Demon) I would lose about 40 pounds. I weigh 230 pounds. That would save money on the grocery bill to.

Jack
Click to expand...

I also resemble that remark :naka:
 
fiberglass bumpers. It cost me about 180 for both bumpers and brackets for my dart from unlimited products. I had to massage them a little bit, but it is a good bit of weight. I am also not sure of prices these days.
 
67plymouthcuda said:
I must apologized now, for what I'm about to say. I just have to say it. Why would you want to cut up a classic muscle car like the Demon? :shock: If you haven't notice, the A-body is becoming really popular and a car like the Demon is really hard to come by. I know its not my car, but if you might want to sell the car someday. The car will be worth alot more if its intacked. Taking thing out, like the seats, radio, chrome strip is alright. You can always put them back in later. Ok, :pale: Just wanted to put my 2 cents in.

Larry G
Click to expand...

No Apology needed. I know how it is, I feel that way about some vehicles also. I struggle cutting things up to far. I forced myself to cut holes in the prefectly good inner fender wells, to put the BB headers in.
I bought the Demon with the roll cage already installed, so the fire wall already has 2 holes in it. The fuel tank is gone, and a fuel cell in the trunk now, along with the battery. Heater is long gone, and the mini starter is in.

Thanks guys for your replies.
I'm thinking of changing the bumpers and brackets to fiberglass first, and then eventually the doors. The originals could always be put back.

How do you guys feel about me cutting up a 71' Swinger? :bom:
 
Remember. Anyone can restore a car but it takes a man to cut one up. :wink:

I know Im gonna get flamed for that LOL.

IM000958.jpg
 
Nice looking garage floor Adam! I should get one just like it. LOL

Cutting them up doesn't bother me, it's the crusher that cracks my nuts.

Jack
 
Coyote Jack said:
Nice looking garage floor Adam! I should get one just like it. LOL Jack
Click to expand...

Thanks. Wish it was my floor but I had to barrow it for the surgery.
 
I don't know how much road grime and rubber-tar mix sound deadoning stuff you still have under your car but my 68 cuda was good for about two five gallon buckets. Around fifty pounds. But by far glass doors if you can get them takes a lot of weight off.
 
norm, you have to really start looking at what you can remove. you have a cage, so alot is up for grabs now. look at removing extrainious braces and such in areas the cage now supports. also--- a few different sized hole saws and a drill will remedy some weight from places while still maintaining weight. i made aluminum bumber ft brackets for my car from 10.00 in scrap and took over 30lbs off the front. even with windowed out front stock brackets i still lost almost 25 lbs on my car. im not sure on how to explain where to take it out of, just use your imagination on it. i holesawed all the braceing un my steel hood---its only a little bit but i think all those little discs i cut added up to 4 lbs--thats minus all the steel dust that gets produced by the say too----so prob and easy 5-6 lbs after 2 hrs of work---it all adds up after a while--ya know? hope that helps some.

--you still putting the small block in? been awhile since we chatted.

--chad
 
small block has been in, that was a quick change back.
Only thing I did was put an auto behind it, with my 3500 stall converter.
It's getting a custom ATI 4500 converter as soon as I get the kids to nap at the same time.
I did more carb fixing and recurved the distributor, so I really can't wait to get to the track this year. I hope I can get a few full passes out of it this time. :x
I also need to get some higher octane fuel in her before I run it again.
 
well, that seemed like a decent small block, so with an auto--it might go good---ready to sell the 4 speed stuff?

anyways---back to the topic, hole saws are cheap and so are cut off wheels, let your imagination run wild. do you have the wood grain trim on the dash? take off the trim and hole saw behind it. same with the door bracing---once the panels are on, one would never know.---see what im talking about here? it seems futile to do it holding a few scraps, but it all adds up.

--chad
 
turbodart said:
well, that seemed like a decent small block, so with an auto--it might go good---ready to sell the 4 speed stuff?

anyways---back to the topic, hole saws are cheap and so are cut off wheels, let your imagination run wild. do you have the wood grain trim on the dash? take off the trim and hole saw behind it. same with the door bracing---once the panels are on, one would never know.---see what im talking about here? it seems futile to do it holding a few scraps, but it all adds up.

--chad
Click to expand...

wood grain trim in the dash? if looking to lose weight on something quick, why not lose the WHOLE dash? or maybe all the trim to it, heater box and climate controls, glovebox, dash pad.. then all it will be is a mount for the gauge cluster... :)
 
I forgot to mention, it also has draglites on it.
I need to put it on the scale when I get up there to the track. Just to see where it's at.
 
rabius75 said:
wood grain trim in the dash? if looking to lose weight on something quick, why not lose the WHOLE dash? or maybe all the trim to it, heater box and climate controls, glovebox, dash pad.. then all it will be is a mount for the gauge cluster... :)
Click to expand...

i did on my own car---i bought a fiberglass dash. i was trying to give him (norm) ideas for low-buck stuff. also, if you remove the dash, you will have to make a mount for the gauges as they normally mount to the the stock dash shell. just for reference, going from a full 73 stock dash complete to a fiberglass dash is only worth a 24lb loss. not a whole lot, but some none the less. i dont know what a stock heaterbox weighs, but idimagine thats another 15-20 lbs. but norm has already removed that so that wont help him
 
You can also whittle on the K-frame a little... You just need to box it back in when you're done. That will also create clearance for that big oil pan you think you need...
 
If you want to lose 50lbs. you should look for fifty places to lose 1lb. Don't go thinking " if I cut the roof off....". The hole saw is a good start. Although those little steel disc's might only weigh 4oz. if you pop out 4, it's a pound. And so it goes....

Good luck with the diet (for the car....)
 
hey turbo dart were did you find a fiberglass dash im looking for one for my duster thanks

also i dont know if you are running a 904 or 727 but i know that the 904 are lighter which is why we have run them in my uncles car for years
(10.5sec @ 124mph challenger) without trouble
 
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