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QwkTrip 11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 3942 Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 8:48 pm Post subject: Weight reduction ideas |
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Looking for ideas how to strip weight out of my car without ruining it's appeal as a nice street car. |
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aaron_sK Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 8834 Location: Back in beautiful Tacompton
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 8:31 am Post subject: |
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I know it's not what you wanted to hear, but the answer is not a lot. The interior doesn't weigh that much, especially in a base model car that didn't get the various deluxe interior options, and any interior removal quickly turns driving into a horrible tin-can experience. You already have a hardtop car without gfx as well.
Bottom line is that GM did a tremendously bad job of unibody design. This right here...
...weighed about half a ton.
I pulled everything I could out of the yellow car, short of removing metal, and it weighed more than my BMW E30 with full luxury iS-model interior and air conditioning.
You can't turn a muscle car into a sports car. You can stiffen it up and add power but it is still what it is. |
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Dewey316 The Lama
Joined: 08 Jan 2004 Posts: 7295 Location: Bringing the tech
1990 Chevrolet Camaro RS
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 8:39 am Post subject: |
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The only things that will make any substantial difference are to replace steel with composites, and glass with Lexan (which will lose your street appeal). |
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Twilightoptics Hardcore (12sec Club)
Joined: 13 Jan 2004 Posts: 9191 Location: Auburn , WA
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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Exercise and a healthy balanced diet. _________________ A redline a day keeps the carbon away! |
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Dewey316 The Lama
Joined: 08 Jan 2004 Posts: 7295 Location: Bringing the tech
1990 Chevrolet Camaro RS
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 12:24 pm Post subject: |
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Twilightoptics wrote: | Exercise and a healthy balanced diet. |
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Alphius Peanut
Joined: 05 Sep 2006 Posts: 2429 Location: Grand Mound
1984 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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aaron_sK wrote: | Bottom line is that GM did a tremendously bad job of unibody design. |
It takes real engineering skill to design a structure that is simultaneously overbuilt to the point of portliness and as floppy as a wet noodle. Bravo, I say! Bravo, GM!
First things I'd think of to save some weight without feeling like you're in a tin can would be the easy stuff. Spare tire, bumper beam surgery, one of those fancy tiny batteries. There might be 100lbs there.
Moving on beyond that becomes an issue of diminishing returns. The interior weighs not much as Aaron said, you can remove the jute and mass backing from the carpet but then it'll be loud inside for only a few tens of pounds weight savings. Remove the rear seat, but then it looks dumb and doesn't save much either. If you have a power seat, you can stick manual rails on it to save a few pounds.
Bodywise, you can go fiberglass hood to save some weight, but nobody makes a plain one that I know of. Lexan rear hatch, but that has it's own compromises on a street car as John said.
Do you now how much it weighs now? _________________ 84 Camaro Z28 - LS1/T56
85 Silverado - Low and Slow |
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chevymad Master B
Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 5474
1987 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 4:31 pm Post subject: |
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Dewey316 wrote: | Twilightoptics wrote: | Exercise and a healthy balanced diet. |
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LOVE IT! |
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aaron_sK Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 8834 Location: Back in beautiful Tacompton
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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Alphius wrote: | aaron_sK wrote: | Bottom line is that GM did a tremendously bad job of unibody design. |
It takes real engineering skill to design a structure that is simultaneously overbuilt to the point of portliness and as floppy as a wet noodle. Bravo, I say! Bravo, GM! |
The truly amazing thing is that they managed to design the J-body (a cheap shitbox designed for poor grandmas) which was light and, while it wasn't that sturdy, at least you could close the doors. At around the same time they design the F-body (a muscle/GT car sitting one notch below the flagship) that was the worlds heaviest pool noodle. |
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rjmcgee The Hammer
Joined: 08 Jan 2004 Posts: 2320
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Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 5:27 pm Post subject: |
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Just drive it through a couple winters, it will get way lighter! |
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izcain 9sec Club
Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 1306 Location: Port Angeles WA
1983 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
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Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2016 8:44 am Post subject: |
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Street car takes on many different versions depending on how much lightening you want to do.
A lot depends on how much sacrifice you are willing to accept.
I am doing a lot of lightening up this winter, I will post pics of what I am doing.
Looks like you can get them pretty light if you put your mind to it and accept that some things (comforts) are going to be sacrificed _________________
1983 Z28 383 + 201ci more = New Heart for this season!
9.17 @ 148 |
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QwkTrip 11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 3942 Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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Ya, definitely interested to see what you do to drop weight.
At this point I'm adding weight to strengthen the body. The cracks REALLY bother me. |
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izcain 9sec Club
Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 1306 Location: Port Angeles WA
1983 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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Well I have started by first making the decision that I am willing to accept discomfort over speed lol
I have removed the whole heater assy and gutted behind the dash totally. Ebrake cables left, front impact modified, rear impact gone, various tin pieces under the body are gone, manual steering, tubular everything, lightweight seats, lightweight wheels. Removed all the backing from the carpeting. Rear tin work removed where rear seats mount.
Next I am going to removed the door panels and see about getting the crash bars out of there. I hear that is worth 12-15 pounds per door, I keep toying with the idea of fiberglass doors and lexan windows. It is a bummer that the car is painted and I don't want to mess with paint again. I am thinking lexan windows would be cool and shave additional weight. Thinking about lexan winshield and rear hatch also.
If you go at it with the thinking of ounces move to pounds I think it will ad up.
I now have a nice set of wireless scales to use so I can get really into trying to get it down.
I did some other things though that were not helpful in the weight department. I added an extra rocker bar to my cage that was not needed to pass cert but I thought that it would make it safer for me is I was to get in trouble.
Many years ago it used to weight 3550 with a half tank of fuel in race trim with me in the car. I am hoping it is now down to 31-3200 with me in it. Once I get the trans back in I will weight it and find out. _________________
1983 Z28 383 + 201ci more = New Heart for this season!
9.17 @ 148
Last edited by izcain on Fri Nov 11, 2016 2:45 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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izcain 9sec Club
Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 1306 Location: Port Angeles WA
1983 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 2:43 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe pull the headliner and install some additional bracing across the roof? _________________
1983 Z28 383 + 201ci more = New Heart for this season!
9.17 @ 148 |
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