Chassis Stiffening
autoxcuda, what have you done to your barracuda to stiffen it up?
What would benefit more lighten the car as much as possible or achieve as close to 50/50 weight distribution as possible?
Cause I could use fiberglass bumpers front and rear, hood and deck lid, etc. But would it be better to just use fiberglass components up front and keep steel in the back to try and get close to a 50/50 weight distribution?
Just have subframe connectors and reinforced K-member.
Don't let your eyes get bigger than your stomach. There are plenty fast cars that are not 50/50. Walk before you run.
Realistically 50/50 is not going to have without major $$ and major cutting up of the car. And still most likely would come after you just add lead to the rear of it after you lighten it. I think the SCCA C-Prepared 70 Cuda of John Sandburg is close to 50/50 after he added lead weight to get to the class mandated minimum weight. That is a full on trailered race car with total fabricated front clip and suspension.
The red 68 Valiant Tim Werner built that LilCuda now owns is 55/45 F/R. It's will hang on the road course with a Z06 C6 Corvette. That car has a full cage and weighs 3150 lbs. It's got aluminum heads and aluminum cased 4spd.
To reduce front weigh percentage, of course you've got to reduce front weight. But you if reduce the same rear weight, the percentage stays the same. Moving battery to rear, glass hood, glass front bumper, aluminum heads, aluminum water pump, aluminum master cylinder, hollow front sway bar, etc gets weight of the front.
Remember you don't drive your weight percentage. And your weight percentage does not cross the finish line first. BUT you car does! Work on your whole car. Don't put all your efforts on weight percentage when you don't have good tires, shocks, springs, sway bars...