Power Steering and B/RB in a '72 Duster?

ramcharger said

My handling formula would be a stroker LA (much less weight on the front end)

Click to expand...

Here's some weight savings to be had with a big block:

Part....................Weight savings
aluminum heads..........58#
intake..................25#
water pump & housing....15#
headers.................25#
Total savings:..........123#

Manual steering is 37# lighter than power, and a 727 is 75# lighter than an A-833, and who knows how much A/C weighs. Small blocks weigh the same as a slant 6, and the B motors are 95# more than that, so a manual slant 6 or small block with power steering and A/C (guess 60# to 100# for that) can weigh 200# more than a 383 or 528 A/T, mostly all up front. Battery in trunk--that's a 100# shift (50# off front, 50# more in back). If we get ridiculous, a 400 block is about 220#, and 440s are about 230#. An aluminum 440 block is 142#, so there is another 92#.

So, if we compare a porky Slant Six or 318 manual, we get:


Part....................Weight savings
MS......................37#
AT......................75#
AC......................100#
Aluminum block..........92#
Previous parts..........123#
Total...................427#

The original BB was 105# heavier, so there is a 322# lighter big block car if comparing extremes.