Getting back to the track this year is looking more and more problematic due to circumstances beyond my immediate control. But, I may as well make progress where I can. I'd like to shed some weight on my Dart, so I'm going to start gathering up fiberglass for starters. How many pounds can we expect to shed by going with fiberglass hood and front fenders on a 69 Dart? I'd also like to lighten the doors without losing the stock window cranks and glass. Is there any weight to be found there? The car currently weighs 2930 without me in it, and I'd like to get it to 2700 or less. What else will I have to look at to get there?

Man, we`re on the same page here as I`m lookin to do the same but 2700lbs, that seems awfully light w/out some major mods. My big block 72 dart is about 3150 w/me and that`s w/gutted doors and only drivers window rolls up and down, glass hood and ft. bumper and brackets and no back seat. I`m watchin this one closely.........

Alloy water pump, alloy m/c, i took around 15 lbs out of the K member, good savings on the bumper brackets, i used glass ones on the front and cut the rears in half and holesawed them out. Anti roll bar took around 12 lbs off.
Your car is lighter than mine though.
To get 2700, i think you would need glass doors and alloy or glass dash, pin on glass trunk lid etc.
Mick

if you have a big block, use a alumn block, the rear deck is heavy, i went with the glass, remove the outer front bumper brackets or go with glass bumpers. aluumn radiator if you dont already have one. just some examples.

Make sure the under coating is gone, insulating mat
under the carpet, lose the stock wiring harness and
wire just what you need, dump the front brakes for
light weight racing brakes... cut off any extra length
on every bolt...light weight racing wheels and tires...
dump the T-bars for coil over shocks... thats a few things

But even with everything mentioned...........2700lbs. sounds like tube chassis territory or at least a back half.......... I`ve have everything mentioned except the deck lid and coil overs.

A few years ago we took the Duster to the scales. No engine, tranny, seats, carpet, battery. Had Cragars & street tires and a 12 pt. cage, complete wiring front to back, fiberglass hood, stock bumpers, glass, frame tied, narrowed 8 3/4 rear, S/S springs. Don't remember what else was out or in. Shocked us when it weighed 2030 lbs. I expected it'd weigh more than that.

I tried to make swiss cheese out of my doors. After I was done hole-sawing the driver's door, I weighed all the "plugs" I cut out. A whold whopping 1 lb. Yes one pound. I didn't even open the passenger's side door to start cutting. I never weighed mine, but I have glass fenders, hood, and decklid. Plus aluminum inner fenders on the front. Got rid of all the under coating. No back seat. I should take it to the scales just for fun.

very little money involved here but it took time. lost alot of weight. i dont know if the car is going to stear right though either

I pulled the dash frame out of my car. It had been trimmed up by Vanke's shop back in the 70s when the car was prepped. Compared to a stock one, there less than 2 lbs difference. Doesn't seem to be worth the effort to me, but all you have to do is lose that amount of weight in 50 places, and you've saved a 100 lbs.

Could you send pictures of the lightened k frame?

I havent weighed my 68 notchback since last weight saveings but I am sure it is real close to 2700 it was 2785 without me before going with light weight brakes on all corners and front runners, and I still have steel doors,fenders and decklid

My 69 Dart with a aluminum headed small block, 727, aluminum radiator, Dana, bolt on 6 pack glass hood and glass front bumper, full interior with Kirkey seats, heater, wipers, factory glass and 3" exhaust to the rear end weighs 3085 without me. I lightened the front bumper brackets and saved almost 5.5#, the glass front bumper saved 20# and the bolt on glass six pack was 31# lighter than the stock flat hood. The Strange front brakes were 50# lighter than the 73 disk setup I had on it. These items alone are almost 100# with out really much work.

I don't think glass fenders would save enough over the stock ones to justify the cost.

not sure what ur cash situation is,but i will tell u this,if u put a alterkation rms k frame,with the disc brakes+the rack i see 100lbs out,and just 1 of the best investments u can make to an older car!

OEM windows are pretty heavy. There's an outfit that makes polycarbonate windshields, gotta save about 30lbs on the windshield alone. Spendy, though. Lexan's cheap for side glass.
Look at every piece on the car and decide if it really needs to be there or that big or heavy.

I must have a light one! Iron head 360, 6 point cage, 9 inch, no wipers/motor, no heater, carpet and underlay out, no undercoat, fiberglass seats (albeit with heavy seat tracks- there's 20 lbs to be had there.),fiberglass front bumper, that's pretty much it for lightening. It's an honest 2930.
There must be 40 (?) in a hood, 50 or 60 in a deck lid, so that's a hundred tops, I guess. I've already got Wilwoods, so I'd have to put alum. heads and some lightweight front susp. hardware in to get into the 2700-2750 range, I guess.

You have 2 large weight savings right there, your sb and the wilwoods, probably a 140 lb saving over a 440 with stock brakes.
Has anyone fitted lexan in a 67-9 Dart rear window, just wondered if it could be done with it being concave.
Mick

U could acid dip some of the sheet metal and reduce the thickness of the panels,

im 3000lb with a siamese 340 block,interior,10pt,etc o yea i have a cowl hood the rest is steel w me in it 3000lbs,im 210lb

Hey Bill,

I raced at Castrol for years. I think that I may have gone into retirement prior to you racing lots. I have seen your car though. I have a 71 Demon. The body is steel with the exception of a heavy fiberglass 6 pack hood, glass deck lid and bumpers. I made aluminum front bumper brackets. The car still has the majority of the inner fenders and all of the stock rad support. The dash is still stock with the factory gauges, ashtray, glove box etc. The floor and firewall is still original. The car has a full chrome moly cage and the back half is chrome moly round tube. The rear suspension is a 4 Link with coil over shocks The engine is an aluminum headed low deck with a power glide and a fab nine diff and I ran it with exhaust that exited in front of the rear tire. The exhaust system weighed 49lbs per side. The front k-member I built with a front steer rack. It has weld Alumastars all the way around with Wilwood Brakes. All of the glass is factory and the side windows roll up and down. I also run two optimum batteries. The last time that I scaled it which was right after I did the back half it weighed 2859 with out me in it. I think that the front end that I built may have reduced the weight by about 30 additional pounds. I think that removing the windows would be my next move. Both for safety reasons as well as weight savings. Best of luck with the diet.

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Has anyone fitted lexan in a 67-9 Dart rear window, just wondered if it could be done with it being concave.
Mick

Here's a picture of my lexan back glass. All lexan except front, the original front glass is back in. I am not exactly sure how much my car weighs, but it 's pretty light.

tube chassis, 2 spd with a 520 cube, dana. gutted doors, glass front/back bumpers, glass decklid, glass hood with lightened steel fenders. mustang 2 front end, rack n pinion steer.