How to lose some weight???

-
moparstud440

moparstud440

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2005
Messages
959
Reaction score
545
Location
Keymar, MD
I have a 71 Duster I drag race, right now I'm in the process of installing a ladder bar suspension and getting ride of the old leaf springs. Of course like any racer and mopar guy I have a need for speed..Currently the car weighed in at 3070lbs without me, its all steel body, with fiberglass bumpers, lexan back window, roll bar, big block and an unbreakable dana 60..I know the simple way to cut weight would be of course fiberglass pieces and lexan all windows, but my real question is does anyone know how much weight you would lose for each item steel vs fiberglass, for like the fenders, doors, hood, and trunk lid, windows etc?
 
When it comes to lightening a race car you need to follow this credo: To take 100 pounds out of a racecar, instead of looking for a 100 pound part you need to find 100 places where you can take out 1 pound. You'd be surprised how many things you can find. The best part is that most of this stuff is free. you're not buying stuff, just modifying and removing.

don
 
I agree. I also tend to worry more about moving weight, than removing it. If the car is purpose built, you can easilly pull weight out and get it the way you want. Things like moving the battery, wheels and tires, exhaust, and engine part changes are easy. I ran 2 out of 4 bumper brackets (the smaller of the factory ones) and I swiss cheesed them. When I was done the factory bumper looked stock, but I had lost 20lbs off the furthest point forward.
 
Well my glass fenders weighed in at a whopping 8pds a piece......so there is some loss.....also you can loose some weight by making up some aluminum brackets for the 'glass bumpers. Heater stuff can all go.....right there is 40pds.
 
I have noticed purpose built race cars tend not to have zip for interior. Along with a changed out dash board and total removal of everything under the dash, a change of the steering wheel and shaft down to the manual steering box.

Other fellas have swapped out front end parts to a rack and pinion while others have gone and rid the car of the K-frame and switched to something like an Alterkation set up.
This removes the heavy K-frame along with the factory steering parts in favor of tube A arms and a rack and pinion. It also drops the T-bars for springs.
 
Doors weigh alot. Glass to Lexan is about 60% lighter. The steel floor is a little heavy. But the undercoating is a great place to shed weight. I got about two and half five gallon buckets full off my Cuda if I remember right. To the tune of about 50lbs. Rotational weight is a great one to look into as well.
 
MidTexCuda said:
Doors weigh alot. Glass to Lexan is about 60% lighter. The steel floor is a little heavy. But the undercoating is a great place to shed weight. I got about two and half five gallon buckets full off my Cuda if I remember right. To the tune of about 50lbs. Rotational weight is a great one to look into as well.
Click to expand...

any secrets to removing undercoating - mine must have 100lbs - its everywhere.
 
i remember reading somewhere, if you heat up the undercoating slightly with a torch then start scraping that is about the only thing you can do. My dad used an air chizzle (using the correct tip) on his challenger he is pretty good with it so he didnt get into the frame or anything, that was really easy he said, if you know how to use it and such :toothy7:
 
If you're upgrading your brake system, it's a great place to lose weight. I went to the wilwood disc break, aluminum hubs on the front and wilwood disc setup on the back. Likely saved 50 lbs. over the front alone.

IMG_0052.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top