Poor mans Hemi car. (M-body)

alan627b said
My 77 360 Aspen R/T with me in it (I weighed about 230 at that time) and a full tank of gas scaled at 3920 LBS at our dragstrip. I have a hard time believing a 4 door M chasssis would only weigh 3400... Just the sound and feel of the car made me believe it weighed a lot more than the Dusters and Dart Sport I'd had before, and all were equipped similarly.
The door on a Volare/Aspen seemed to be almost a foot thick, or at least a good deal wider? thicker? than the ones on my A bodies. Add in the telescoping crash bumpers, crash bar reinforcements in the doors and other federally mandated reinforcements, it has to add up to more weight.
Not trying to start a feud, Robert, just finding it hard to believe it could be that light.

As for weight removal, I think a guy could find a way to shed some pork in areas that a) don't show and b) don't affect structural strength/safety. Then again, you could just add more HP! LOL! Maybe I'm fortunate to live here in flyover country, I don't know what you have to put up with on the east coast for safety inspections.

If you need a name for it, how about Vanilla Killa? Gonna be a cool ride when it hits the road!

Alan

Like I said, without scaling it, all I have is the registration weights to go by, so I don't look at it as starting anything, Alan. You got the weight slips, then you've got the proof. Until I can get my 4 door on the scale and have it weighed that's all I can go by. But I will be shaving some weight in some areas, but adding it in others. I wouldn't be able to tell you what it is stock. Hey, if NY wants to charge by weight and then under weigh 'em...means more money in my pocket! :-D

I will agree that one of the biggest weight savings has to be in the swap of K's. Those things are heavy. I've thought of tucking the bumpers and doing away with the bumper shocks. But something tells me that wouldn't look right. Even in mock up it just seems...off.

Mine personally, though, won't see the drag much. I plan on using ours for cruising long distances, like going out to see my in-laws in MN or my sister in TN, hitting some of the shows while I'm there. This is part Pop's project, too, and Momma will be seeing a lot of seat time in it. I want the comforts. A/C, cruise, etc.