Thread: weight

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I just dont get it. No offense to anyone on here but for those that are lloking to lighten your vehicles...correct me if Im wrong but are they not street strip vehicles?"to lighten your cars so they are like riding in go karts just doesnt make sense. You make the car so noisy, feels like your on the subway in the bronx during a hurricane! I can understand a hood change, bumper changes, even fenders and doors....but most car need the additional weight of the deck lid and the battery moved over the rear unless you are fully tubbed. Thats #1.

#2 dont guess your cars weight. Consider every gallon of fluid you carry is approx 8 lbs etc. Most people think their vehicles are a lot light than actuality. The guy with the Mustang I think you are way off. Here is the cheapest way to weigh your car. Find a major recycling center closest to you that pays for paper goods recycling by the pound. Fill your trunk w/ paper. They will weigh you with a full load and then when you leave and the recipt will give both weights...so you will will have the weight of your car with you in it and those scales are very very acurate. If you bring enough newspaper you may get enough $$$ back to pay for the trip in Gas. I did this with several cars incliding my friends 86 mustang LX. Ok ready 3529lbs! with him in it. Now he weghied 215 lbs. do the math 3314 for a stock LX. If you add a tubbed rear end and all that tire no way you getting below 3K.

#3 the guy with the elky. sounds like a nice car. But why make you car not as fun top drive stripping it for a 350 hp motor to have a fun quick car. Spend an extra 1500-2000 bucks and get a big block and then you dont have to strip that car a much and it will remain fun to drive down the track or out with the woman.


Again Im not trying to offend anyone but I stripped the hell out of one of my cars. I pulled off anything that didnt make it steer, brake or accelerate. When I was done I felt like I was driving inside of a coke can. I put itall back pulled the motor, put in a bigger motor and went just a fast. Point is speed and acceleration can be had either of two ways, a real light car or better yet a more powerful motor. How many times have you gone to the track to see a guy in a Nova, Mustang, Camaro, Chevelle on a 10.5" tire pull the front wheels off the gound,or pull down a time in the 12 second range or even less...this on a car with a full interior and then he drives it home. It can be done, just need the power to do it. JMO

Yeah, but if I wanted a smooth quite ride, I would buy a Lexus, or similar. We build these rockets for the sounds, smells, and feel.

The other problem with weight is breakage. To get all that metal moving it puts more strain on engines and driveline components.

GM discovered this when they built the very first muscle car. Take the biggest engine you've got and shove it in the lightest body. Instant performance. It is also why Chryler went to aluminum front ends, plexiglass side windows, and lightweight van seats in some of the Hemi's in the 60's. AND THEY HAD ALOT OF HP GOING, but they wanted more performance, so the cars went on a diet.

Were they as quiet as Grandmas 4 door Coronado? Nope, but they weren't supposed to be.

Originally posted by drg84
I dont know if this has been answered yet, but according to the registration on my old 89 Mustang LX with a 2.3L, that car weighed 3018lbs. I dont know if it will be that much more with a 5.0L, but I would say add 200lbs to that for the small-block. Its kind of odd too, cause my 82 cutlass only weighed 3200lbs itself. Someone care to fill me in here?

Material used, interior, motor, drivetrain, AC, glass, wheels, tires, a lot of things could affect it. I'm not sure on the insides and outsides of each though.

Originally posted by Itoldyouso
Yeah, but if I wanted a smooth quite ride, I would buy a Lexus, or similar. We build these rockets for the sounds, smells, and feel.

The other problem with weight is breakage. To get all that metal moving it puts more strain on engines and driveline components.

GM discovered this when they built the very first muscle car. Take the biggest engine you've got and shove it in the lightest body. Instant performance. It is also why Chryler went to aluminum front ends, plexiglass side windows, and lightweight van seats in some of the Hemi's in the 60's. AND THEY HAD ALOT OF HP GOING, but they wanted more performance, so the cars went on a diet.

Were they as quiet as Grandmas 4 door Coronado? Nope, but they weren't supposed to be.

Well said Don. We also sometimes do not have the money or opportunity to buy the BB. If someone is incapable of installing it, there is an extra couple hundred getting it put in, along with the new components to slap on it.

I am not running a bbc because i don't want one. plain and simple. I've never had the desire for a BBC when i can have fun and enjoy myself with the cheaper, easier built, and less time consuming SBC.

I'm trying to shed 600 pounds or so of body fat so that once i get the luxury things in it I'm not too damn heavy.

The problem with building more power is that power = money and it's a lot more practical to dump your money where it is needed.

Examples: Motor, build it for power, Suspension, build it for hookup, brakes, build them to stop fast, tires, buy them to grip, tranny, build it to stand up to the motor, ect. and so on and so forth.

When going fast, the above items come first. THEN if your not happy, then you have a good power train to build a nice ride out of.

I guess what i'm trying to say in whole is that unless you can afford to light 100 dollar bills on fire and toss them out the window, the mechanical aspect of the vehicle (motor, trans, rearend, brakes, suspension) come before comfort and looks. It's pointless to have a drag car that looks good and runs like shit because you were more concerned with how it looks and feels.

I'll build that BBC for my elky, put a full interior in it, run a 10.5 wide tire, and drive it home...just as soon as i get the check in the mail from you to pay for it

Don't think i don't like your post because you have a good point, its just not a point that fits me. The elky IS a nice car, it will ALWAYS be a nice car. I don't have the heart to chop and butcher a beauty but my first concern is making it go fast...looking good will come later. Nothing i do will be missed. I'm coming back with factory interior, ect. I won't be drilling wholes or making my elky feel like a "soda can." that's not my style