I lost 200lbs in my bird

Posted By: preddy

I lost 200lbs in my bird - 11/02/10 03:22 AM

I was racing at MIR Saturday and a friend reminded me to get on the scales there and see what my car weighed. I had weighed it twice before and it came in at 3920 and 3960. The 3920 number was on the scales at Capitol Raceway and the 3960 number was at a truck scale (I had my daughter in the car and she was about 45 lbs). Saturday, it came it at a svelte 3735. I weigh 190 plus I had a helmet (4lbs), 2 fire extinguishers (16lbs) and about 3/4 tank of gas. So, I'm figuring it weighs about 3525 with the gas in the car. So, where did all the weight go???

I started thinking about it and here's where it went:

- Front drums brakes converted to SSBC disc brakes

- Stock leaf springs to monoleafs

- Six pack (aluminum) to single plane

- power steering to manual

- Cragar S/S steel wheels to Weld Pro Stars

I think I could drop it some more with a lite weight racing hood and a fiber glass front bumper.

Posted By: greenpigs

Re: I lost 200lbs in my bird - 11/02/10 03:50 AM

I guess the Cragar were the biggest weight loss. Not the hot setup because of the that but I like the old school look of them.

Posted By: BradH

Re: I lost 200lbs in my bird - 11/02/10 03:06 PM

When I switched from power to manual steering, the weight difference was 38#s IIRC.

Posted By: Dodgem

Re: I lost 200lbs in my bird - 11/02/10 05:51 PM

I thought we weighed 50+ lb power to aluminum standard steering out of a 68 dart weighing what we took of and put back on???

Crager SS rims look cool but they are real heavy.
especially the 10"

Posted By: JERICOGTX

Re: I lost 200lbs in my bird - 11/02/10 09:31 PM

Quote:

- Front drums brakes converted to SSBC disc brakes

You probably added weight here, depending on what caliper you went with. Stock style rotors, and calipers are heavy.

Posted By: preddy

Re: I lost 200lbs in my bird - 11/02/10 10:18 PM

Quote:

Quote:

- Front drums brakes converted to SSBC disc brakes

You probably added weight here, depending on what caliper you went with. Stock style rotors, and calipers are heavy.

Yeah that's possible. They were not what I would call "lite". I wish I had weighed them vs the 11" drums.

I just weighed my fiberglass hood. It's 40lbs. I know race hoods are 20lbs. I don't know what a stock front bumper weighs (I'm guessing about 25lbs) but a fiberglass one weighs 4 lbs according to one site. So, I'm thinking I could drop 40lbs off the front of the car by changing the hood and bumper.

I'm actually quite surprised that the car has lost so much weight. All this time I've been thinking its 2 tons!

Posted By: smokinwoody

Re: I lost 200lbs in my bird - 11/02/10 10:26 PM

Subject: Re: I lost 200lbs in my bird:
ya know chopping holes in floorboards and making like a Flinstone flyer will always build up a sweat and definately lose weight!!

Posted By: JERICOGTX

Re: I lost 200lbs in my bird - 11/02/10 10:44 PM

The front bumper with brackets weighs 40#'s. So going to a glass one is around a 20lbs savins. I have a set of AAR bumpers here if you need actual weight.

I wouldn't change hoods... Not worth it to end up with a crappy hood that bows really bad on the big end. If you want to put the car on a race diet, but not have a gutted looking car there are plenty of things you can do without cutting anything. If you still street drive the car, well then it becomes harder to do. Simple thing like removing the sound deadner from unde the carpet is worth 20lbs IIRC. Heater box, and wiper assembly weigh quite a bit also.

ALOT of "tricky" ways to lose weight if you are will to do a little cutting, and drilling...

BTW my GTX is 3430lbs with me in it. All steel except the hood, and still has stock seats front and rear, carpet, headliner and door panels.

Jeff