Fiberglass 1/4's and hood?

[MrPedalsworth]

I'm not sure if this has been covered yet? But I'm thinking of replacing my 1/4 panels and hood with fiber glass ones. But only if the weight savings is great enough? Shaving a few pounds isn't really worth it to lose the steel. But if your talking over 100lbs plus, it seems well worth it? Does anyone have any real number on weight savings? Also, if it's worth the weight savings does anyone want to buy/trade a '68 340s hood? It's in really good shape? My car was made into a 340s clone sometime in the 80's before I bought it. It was a 318 automatic car from the factory. It has a 340 4spd in it now.

 

[1968FormulaS340]

100 pounds is worth only about 1/10th of a second in the 1/4 mile…

All 68 hoods are the same….. It is just the inserts that are different. If you have 340-S inserts they would be worth something.

 

[Burntorange70]

Just the hood alone will not save a bunch of weight. But ever little bit helps and starts to add up. You can't get glass 1/4 panels. But you can get some glass fenders, bumpers, trunk lid, and even doors. There are other things you could do to save weight as well. Some that cost no mony at all.

 

[MrPedalsworth]

I'm building my car for open track days at road coarses and autocrosses. I'm not to conserned where they place me as far as classes go. But I would like good times. Do you or anyone know how practical the front fenders are on the street, rain? Lightening a car improves everything. Acceleration, braking and cornering. The fiber glass fenders and hood would remove weight off the nose of the car and help balance it it out more in cornering? I'm just wondering if it's worth the trade off,,,,,,, if any? I don't know?

 

[1968FormulaS340]

Are you finished with the rest of your set -up? I would concentrate on getting more important things sorted before going after weight reduction.

I would say it is not worth it………….

Also, what are "good times"……… You may want to re-think and try to stay in a class that you can be competitive in.


Personally….. I would rather do well in a stockish class than be dead last in the "who can out spend who" class.


Do you know that stock Miatas dominated SOLO 2 for a long time……..