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Shedding weight on an A-body
#955823
03/21/11 07:56 PM
03/21/11 07:56 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,427
Toronto
mshred
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Toronto
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Other than the obvious stuff, what are you guys doing to get your cars lightened up? My 71 scamp is currently around 3380 with me in it and Id really like to lighten it up as much as I can (car is all steel)... here is what I have already done -manual brakes and steering -battery relocated to the trunk -edelbrock aluminum water pump -mini starter -smaller denso alternator -lightweight wheels -spare tire and jack removed - lightened K member (cut for oil pan clearance) Plans for this year -lightweight plastic headlights -drilling out the factory bumper brackets - removing rear window regulators (gotta figure out how to keep them up though) -remove all insulation out from under the carpet -new RMS adjustable UCA's - plastic instead of steel blade clutch fan - was thinking of removing backseat, but not sure how much it weighs to even warrant the look of an uncomplete interior This car is a street car, so i need to keep the heater box, wiper motor and wipers, etc. and it does have a full stereo (I know this is costing me some, but I gotta have my tunes, and it is a street car  ) Was thinking of removing my crash bars and possibly trying to drill out/lighten some spots in the door behind the interior panel, but not sure whats safe (I have a pic attached, any ideas on where to hack would be great..the windows still need to be functional though) If there is anything I am leaving out, please add. I have all of April off from school and my job doesnt start until May, so I have the whole month of free time to get this thing as light as I can. I don't have alot of money to spend on things like lightweight brakes and such (more stuff I can remove to lose the pounds) but all suggestions are welcome! 
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Re: Shedding weight on an A-body
[Re: mshred]
#955824
03/21/11 08:27 PM
03/21/11 08:27 PM
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,210
robin hood country
deaks
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robin hood country
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I took 15 lb out of the crossmember, fibreglass bumper brackets around 20lb and bumpers 30 lb, anti roll bar was 12 lb.
The uca's are probably no lighter but will free the front suspension up.
69 Dart GTS 440 mopar .590 cam, Edelbrock heads, 3200#
best et 6.45, 106.78, 10.14, 132.88 mph, 1.47 60ft
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Re: Shedding weight on an A-body
[Re: deaks]
#955825
03/21/11 08:38 PM
03/21/11 08:38 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,518
pacific northwest
Stroker Scamp
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pacific northwest
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if its got undercoating, scrape it off, here a pic of my door
footbrake N/A SB 408 Scamp 10.10 @ 132 street/strip
73 Duster 340 street strip 12.79 @ 105
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Re: Shedding weight on an A-body
[Re: deaks]
#955826
03/21/11 08:46 PM
03/21/11 08:46 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,427
Toronto
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Quote:
I took 15 lb out of the crossmember, fibreglass bumper brackets around 20lb and bumpers 30 lb, anti roll bar was 12 lb.
The uca's are probably no lighter but will free the front suspension up.
do you mean the front cross member? did you do that by cutting for oil pan clearance, or did you do something else to lighten it that much?
Glass bumpers are outta the picture as I love the look of the chrome (plus i spent good money to chrome em). I didnt have an anti rollbar to remove either.
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Re: Shedding weight on an A-body
[Re: Stroker Scamp]
#955827
03/21/11 08:48 PM
03/21/11 08:48 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,427
Toronto
mshred
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Quote:
if its got undercoating, scrape it off, here a pic of my door
I was thinking of scraping it off, but my car sees rain, so i thought the undercoating would help prevent the doors from rusting out with the water that goes down there.
Also, it seems like your door has had quite a few holes drilled in it to lighten it up...got a bigger pic? that would be a great help of where to start cutting on the door
thanks so far guys! please keep any suggestions coming, and for stuff that may not be self explanatory (pretend im a martian who doesnt understand english) please explain what exactly you did  
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Re: Shedding weight on an A-body
[Re: Old School]
#955829
03/21/11 08:51 PM
03/21/11 08:51 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
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Toronto
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
I took 15 lb out of the crossmember, fibreglass bumper brackets around 20lb and bumpers 30 lb, anti roll bar was 12 lb.
The uca's are probably no lighter but will free the front suspension up.
do you mean the front cross member? did you do that by cutting for oil pan clearance, or did you do something else to lighten it that much?
Glass bumpers are outta the picture as I love the look of the chrome (plus i spent good money to chrome em). I didnt have an anti rollbar to remove either.
i've seen somewhere, that someone makes aluminum bumper brackets.
there was a thread about that on another forum, and from what it seemed, they wouldnt be much lighter than drilling out the factory ones if i remember correctly
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Re: Shedding weight on an A-body
[Re: Stroker Scamp]
#955830
03/21/11 08:53 PM
03/21/11 08:53 PM
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,212
Canton, Ohio
Crazy68Dart
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,212
Canton, Ohio
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You reach the point of diminishing returns eventually, especially if you want to keep the street car aspect of it and don't have a lot of money to throw around. I would really think about punching holes in the door, might want to calculate what you will gain (ehh lose), before doing so.
The heavy hitters are things like the bumpers, brackets, etc. Hood is heavy too. The sky is the limit, really. You running a SB or BB?
Do you really need the heater?
383, Hemi 4-Speed, AlterKtion, D60
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Re: Shedding weight on an A-body
[Re: Crazy68Dart]
#955831
03/21/11 09:03 PM
03/21/11 09:03 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
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Toronto
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Quote:
You reach the point of diminishing returns eventually, especially if you want to keep the street car aspect of it and don't have a lot of money to throw around. I would really think about punching holes in the door, might want to calculate what you will gain (ehh lose), before doing so.
The heavy hitters are things like the bumpers, brackets, etc. Hood is heavy too. The sky is the limit, really. You running a SB or BB?
Do you really need the heater?
I know keeping it a street car makes it tough. I keep trying to picture in my head where I can lighten it up. Possibly next year I may upgrade to a fibreglass hood, but not in the budget this year. Unfortunatly its an iron headed motor too, but atleast its a small block (with a heavy 4 speed and Dana 60 though too)
I am sooo tempted to pull the heater, but im not going to lie, ive had to use it before. I've gotten stuck in the rain before, and if it wasn't for that defogger, it would have been impossible to see out the windows. plus, I like to go cruising in the fall as well. How much could I potentially shed if i lost the whole setup?
This car is never going to be restored to all original, so i don't mind cutting things up tastefully or in spots no one will see...I just figure that being that I dont have alot of money for horsepower, i mine as well shed every pound i possibly can for free
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Re: Shedding weight on an A-body
[Re: Crazy68Dart]
#955832
03/21/11 09:06 PM
03/21/11 09:06 PM
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 9,225
Charleston
sixpackgut
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Drag Week Mod Champion
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Charleston
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my advise is to leave the car alone. pick up a cheap car and cut it up. i tried doing the same thing with my challenger and i'm sorry i did. now i have a cheap A body to hack up. this car as it sits is 2500lbs. it should be about 2850 with me in it when done
Last edited by sixpackgut; 03/21/11 09:10 PM.
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Re: Shedding weight on an A-body
[Re: sixpackgut]
#955833
03/21/11 09:07 PM
03/21/11 09:07 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
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Toronto
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Quote:
my advise is to leave the car alone. pick up a cheap car and make cut it up. i tried doing the same thing with my challenger and i'm sorry i did. now i have a cheap A body to hack up. this car as it sits is 2500lbs.
I don't have the money to pick up another car...this is my cheap a-body lol.... unfortunately it's also my streetcar..but it will never have the value your challenger did, and i never had a care for all original stuff which is why i dont mind hacking where i can
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Re: Shedding weight on an A-body
[Re: earthmover]
#955837
03/21/11 09:16 PM
03/21/11 09:16 PM
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,169
Virginia Beach, VA
Old School
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Virginia Beach, VA
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i would keep the heater, and get the aluminum heads. 40lbs less weight, and alot more power. that ones a no brainer....
68 cuda formula S 588" bb 5sp
70 CUDA CONVERT 500" 5SP (SUBLIME)
70 CUDA CONVERT 500" 5SP (PLUMCRAZY):TOO MUCH HORSEPOWER, IS ALMOST ENOUGH!
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Re: Shedding weight on an A-body
[Re: BloFish]
#955838
03/21/11 09:38 PM
03/21/11 09:38 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
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Toronto
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Quote:
Get a plasma cutter and get busy on all area's that have excess, that's what I did. I'm now down to 3,000 lbs 
can you share what areas you did? thats my problem, I can't really think of anywhere I can go cutting so i need some ideas of where to start other than what i listed
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Re: Shedding weight on an A-body
[Re: sixpackgut]
#955839
03/21/11 09:39 PM
03/21/11 09:39 PM
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Toronto
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Quote:
Quote:
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my advise is to leave the car alone. pick up a cheap car and make cut it up. i tried doing the same thing with my challenger and i'm sorry i did. now i have a cheap A body to hack up. this car as it sits is 2500lbs.
I don't have the money to pick up another car...this is my cheap a-body lol.... unfortunately it's also my streetcar..but it will never have the value your challenger did, and i never had a care for all original stuff which is why i dont mind hacking where i can
the hood weighs a ton. the crash beams in the doors are worth 15 or so. undercoating 30. rear regulators 12. that 4 speed 
about the crash beams in the doors, how do i go about removing those? and will I damage the paint on the car in the process? I know that 4 speed is heavy, but there is no way im putting a boring slushpump in this car 
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Re: Shedding weight on an A-body
[Re: Old School]
#955840
03/21/11 09:41 PM
03/21/11 09:41 PM
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Toronto
mshred
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Quote:
i would keep the heater, and get the aluminum heads. 40lbs less weight, and alot more power. that ones a no brainer....
yes it's a no brainer, but im looking for stuff that i specifically dont have to spend any money on. Besides, I'd rather run my IMM RHS heads and stock eddies (all i can afford) any day
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Re: Shedding weight on an A-body
[Re: moparguy7074]
#955842
03/21/11 09:57 PM
03/21/11 09:57 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
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Toronto
mshred
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Quote:
Just a question, why are you adding weight with a Dana? I dont know what kind of power your engine is making, but Im sure an 8 3/4 could handle it just fine and save some pounds and cash.
Im adding a Dana because this is a stick car that already broke the 8-3/4 at the track this past season...not going to spend money to fix it when I can upgrade
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great tread
