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Weight saving mods......

Cranky

Banned Henchman #27
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Most of the 'big' stuff is done so here's an example of the little things I work on. This was probably done 35 years ago but I got the aftermarket piece for free recently and wanted to show the weight differences in modified stock stuff vs aftermarket. I modified the stock piece while at work one day when things were slow. I always had something to do instead of just sitting around and there were times when I did that too. :D I also trim all bolts. No extra threads are past the nut. Even my wheel studs don't protrude past the nut more than a couple of threads at best. Anyways, the stock clamp is 190 grams, the modified piece is 100 and the aftermarket clamp is 125. Ounces add up all over the car.....

 
Yup. Lightened my aftermarket aluminum one. That looks cool.
 
Yup. Lightened my aftermarket aluminum one. That looks cool.
What did you do to it? Holes, trimmed it or both and is it still pretty sturdy? I thought about doing mine just to see how much lighter I can make it. After all, it wouldn't take much effort on my milling machine. Funny that it feels lighter than the stock modified one and was surprised to see it 25 grams heavier lol
 
Most of the 'big' stuff is done so here's an example of the little things I work on. This was probably done 35 years ago but I got the aftermarket piece for free recently and wanted to show the weight differences in modified stock stuff vs aftermarket. I modified the stock piece while at work one day when things were slow. I always had something to do instead of just sitting around and there were times when I did that too. :D I also trim all bolts. No extra threads are past the nut. Even my wheel studs don't protrude past the nut more than a couple of threads at best. Anyways, the stock clamp is 190 grams, the modified piece is 100 and the aftermarket clamp is 125. Ounces add up all over the car.....

Agreed, it all adds up. In the early/mid 80s, when I was young and had energy, I completely stripped the undercoating off of my 69 Barracuda (was going for the body-in-white look). I took off 40-something lbs of it. That was substantial to me.
 
Agreed, it all adds up. In the early/mid 80s, when I was young and had energy, I completely stripped the undercoating off of my 69 Barracuda (was going for the body-in-white look). I took off 40-something lbs of it. That was substantial to me.
When I was doing my present 66 Belvedere, I removed several 5 gallon buckets of the mess. Don't remember the total weight but it was way more than 40 lbs! When I got my car, it was 3370 before I did anything. It was a /6 auto with AC and no other options. I did a good amount of work on it 27 years ago and got it down to 2950 with the AC still on it. I've since lightened a V8 K frame and solid welded it which took off 10+ lbs and did some work to the doors and other places and the AC is gone. Thinking about installing a Vintage Air unit since I'm planning on making it street legal instead of going full race with it. Money just isn't there anymore. Not sure yet if I'm going to install a roll bar but may do at a minimum a 6 point. If it'll run mid 11's with a mild motor, I'll be happy enough.
 
When I was doing my present 66 Belvedere, I removed several 5 gallon buckets of the mess. Don't remember the total weight but it was way more than 40 lbs! When I got my car, it was 3370 before I did anything. It was a /6 auto with AC and no other options. I did a good amount of work on it 27 years ago and got it down to 2950 with the AC still on it. I've since lightened the K frame and solid welded it which took off 10+ lbs and did some work to the doors and other places and the AC is gone. Thinking about installing a Vintage Air unit since I'm planning on making it street legal instead of going full race with it. Money just isn't there anymore. Not sure yet if I'm going to install a roll bar but may do at a minimum a 6 point. If it'll run mid 11's with a mild motor, I'll be happy enough.

Actually, I seem to remember the weight of the undercoating (after collecting it) being 62lbs but I had to take into account the many gallons of Jasco Aircraft Stripper I brushed on. I always wore safety googles but damn it if a little drop didn't find it's way near the corner of my eyes once in awhile. Talk about pain. The bottom of the car is immaculate though. Not one speck of undercoating left on it. I still remember my dad standing there shaking his head at me wondering what the hell I was doing. ;)

Your 66 sounds like a great car. If its going back to street duty, add V Air to it and enjoy it. I still ave my Alston 6-pt in the Barracuda with their swing outs. Still a very nice setup to this day.
 
I've done a couple different ones. The latest one has plunge-cuts in it. No holes.
 
Actually, I seem to remember the weight of the undercoating (after collecting it) being 62lbs but I had to take into account the many gallons of Jasco Aircraft Stripper I brushed on. I always wore safety googles but damn it if a little drop didn't find it's way near the corner of my eyes once in awhile. Talk about pain. The bottom of the car is immaculate though. Not one speck of undercoating left on it. I still remember my dad standing there shaking his head at me wondering what the hell I was doing. ;)

Your 66 sounds like a great car. If its going back to street duty, add V Air to it and enjoy it. I still ave my Alston 6-pt in the Barracuda with their swing outs. Still a very nice setup to this day.
I used a heat gun to remove the majority of the undercoating. I did it during the winter so the heat was welcomed since it was pretty cold that year.
 
I used a heat gun to remove the majority of the undercoating. I did it during the winter so the heat was welcomed since it was pretty cold that year.

Yep ... anything to heat up a cold garage (especially when your working on a cold cement slab).
 
I used a heat gun to remove the majority of the undercoating. I did it during the winter so the heat was welcomed since it was pretty cold that year.
Seems like I've been doing that off and on for the last 6 months!!!
 
Yep ... anything to heat up a cold garage (especially when your working on a cold cement slab).
I have carpet all over the place so I don't have to lay on a cold slab! When it gets messy, it goes out on the street for trash pickup. Seems like there's always someone throwing it away somewhere. I just missed out on a whole house full of brand new stuff. Oh well.

Seems like I've been doing that off and on for the last 6 months!!!
Oh man, it's a slow process for sure.
 
I've gotten most of the underside done, still need to get all of the wheel wells and above the rear... Been patching /replacing metal as I go. I was going to install bed liner after I get it all clean...its not on a rotisserie and with the cage it mad it difficult to clean some of the welds up so I figured I would seal it and coat it back...
 
Don't forget the thick stuff on the inside of the 1/4's. In the trunk and behind the rear window regulators.
Doug
 
Don't forget the thick stuff on the inside of the 1/4's. In the trunk and behind the rear window regulators.
Doug
I finally cleaned my front fenders the other day. It wasn't very thick though. Probably didn't weigh more than 1/2 lb.
 
Most of the 'big' stuff is done so here's an example of the little things I work on. This was probably done 35 years ago but I got the aftermarket piece for free recently and wanted to show the weight differences in modified stock stuff vs aftermarket. I modified the stock piece while at work one day when things were slow. I always had something to do instead of just sitting around and there were times when I did that too. :D I also trim all bolts. No extra threads are past the nut. Even my wheel studs don't protrude past the nut more than a couple of threads at best. Anyways, the stock clamp is 190 grams, the modified piece is 100 and the aftermarket clamp is 125. Ounces add up all over the car.....
That looks great. What are some other examples of things you have done? I drill and cut a lot of holes but that distributor clamp you did looks terrific.
 
The rectangle piece is for a floor shift linkage from a Challenger and bolts to the transmission....

 
Every little bit helps & adds up
sometimes it's cheaper than engine performance
especially when you get into the low 9's & 8's or quicker
it snowballs 10 fold getting into the low 8's or 7's

after all it's about HP to weight ratios
especially with these heavy B-Body cars

nuts bolts washers
aluminum Carbon fiber fiberglass titanium
replacing cast iron or steel
alum bumper brackets
composite bumpers
Lexan windows
glass/composite doors, hood & trunk
alum rad, water pump
electric fans & pumps
cell vs ol' fuel tanks
racing seat vs heavy OE stuff
carpet, back seats & undercoating/sound deadening
brackets, dash, gauges, understructure, window regulators etc.
anything anywhere it all counts up

anything anywhere helps

moving the battery to the rear helps a ton weight off the nose
& behind the axle where it works for you

even rotating mass helps a ton, especially on track performance
driveshaft, wheels, tires, brakes
tubular & chrome-moly parts vs heavy stamped steel
it's 40% of the weight of steel better in strength too
etc. etc. etc.

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Some stuff is much easier & better than others,
some is far more costly than others too...
Money & time spent is relative to going fast,
how fast you want to go & how much your willing to
commit time & efforts for seemingly little to no gain at times,
the time spent to do it, will be reaping benefits in the final results,
shows how much you were willing to commit, they go hand & hand,
it's either really hard work & very little money {that's a fat chance}
or really a lot of money & just a slight bit less work...
Chose your path, spend it now or spend it latter,
if you want to go fast, it will take it from you sooner than later,
all relative how much time & $$$ spent, will dictate/determine
"how fast you really want to go ultimately"....
Been there done that !!

Old saying "Pay me now or pay me latter" comes to mind
you will pay both in time or $$$, if you want to go fast...
 
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Take care of the ounces...and the pounds take care of themselves.
 
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