The Weight Reduction Thread!

[87-5.7iroc-z]

Can you save weight with hydro boost for the brakes? I know they do it on mini trucks for the space. Does anyone know the wieghts on the two units? How about an order to take the weight off? I would think that the higher the weight or the further out from center the better.

[Stippy17]

Does anyone know what a Rear Hatch off of an 86' Firebird S/E ACTUALLY weighs? My car was an S/E when I bought it, but had Trans Am Front/Rear Bumpers already to transform it into a Trans Am. Instead of buying Firebird Bumpers to switch it back I bought the rest of the ground effects he hadn't found from local junkyards and finished the transformation. Yeah it added a lil weight, but I dig the Trans Am look more than the Firebird.

Now Im asking about how much my hatch weighs, because I have an opportunity to pick up a parts car Notchback for fairly cheap. He received the car for storing stuff that was taken out of a storage facility. The car was in there too, but the guy cleaning the storage facility nor the owner didnt want the car.

He used it as a parts car not knowing what they were worth lol. He sold the front clip. Used the T5 Tranny for his rat rod project. Sold me the 3 in. exhaust that was on it, and the 16" Gold GTA Wheels. He wants the seats, and the rearend still but wants nothing to do with the rest of the car.

Now I hear the Notchback Hatch's are lighter than the regular ones, and this hatch will need the window put back in, but is it something to look into doing? How much do they ACTUALLY weigh? If I do this I plan on putting my regular hatch on the 85' I just picked up. The 85' needs just a wing, but instead of drilling for it, because it had the whale wing, and mounting a wing I can just switch out Hatchs especially if my old one from my 86' is just laying around.

[Stroked87IrocZ]

I have a 87 iroc z28.Small block aluminum head stroker,aluminum water pump and brackets for alt,headers,aluminum intake and valve covers,lightweight flexplate and light weight mini starter,aluminum centerline wheels,CE sfc's,lift off fiberglass hood,manual steering,aluminum radiator with electric fans,no heater or a/c box,no wiper washer resavoir or pump,removed all unnessessary wiring under dash,removed stereo system and a/c panal,lexan t-tops,plastic fuel cell,battary in rear.I think thats about all my weight reduction.still have all factory interior and power doors.Not sure what it weights now but im sure its lighter,the front end sits almost 2 inches higher now.Now i need some drop springs lol.

[89ls1rs]

3250 without driver--- there is an amp rack with 2 amps, a wood box with 2 12's(probably 200#s of stereo i could remove in a minute), leather seats, power everything, custom 2x3 sfcs and bracing
on the lightening side there is a bmr kmember and aarms, with pinto manual rack. aluminum block and heads(ls1), !front sway bar, fiberglass hood and fenders

[RS Reaper]

That is the wide body kit right? Looks pretty cool. Is it fiberglass?

[89ls1rs]

yep ascd turbo. the fenders and hood are fiberglass, the rear quarters are fiberglass but bond over the existing quarters

[92RSStud]

Last time at the track i weighed in at roughly 3220 with me in it me being 200lbs. All i have taken off was the a/c and smog pump. With what i now believe to be Eagle Alloy's not torque thrusts. 17x9.5 and 4th gen seats. power/mirrors,locks,and windows. t5,

Seem like according to everyone elses mine is being pretty light for only have a few things off.

[mw66nova]

yours is extremely light for the mods you have, be sure to weigh it again at another track for comparison. for the record, the t5 is MUCH lighter than a 700r4, which you're comparing yourself to alot of 700r4 cars.

[92RSStud]

yeah she is rather light... but she is torn down for paint and a new motor... so it will be a while before i can get her to a scale.

[85Iroc-Z]

Has anybody found the weight difference from doing a 700r4 to a t-5 swap?

[camarozz383]

do you have any more pics of that car!!!

[1989GTATransAm]

Just purchased some lexan T-Tops for my GTA Trans Am. On my scale the lexan t-top weighed 11.2 pounds. The glass T-Tops weighed 16.5 pounds each. So the difference is say 5 pounds per T-Top for a total of 10 pounds. I bought the lexan t-tops to be used at the track.

Here are my track weight savings that I'm trying to achieve over my past setup. Car weighs 3510 pounds and I'm trying to get it down to the 3400 pound area for the track.

1. Lexan T-Tops. 10 pounds.
2. Tires, Hoosier Radial over MT Street Radial. 14 pounds.
3. Spare tire, jack etc. 35 pounds.
4. Mini starter. 9 pounds.
5. Aluminum front brake calipers. 8 pounds.
6. Tubular K-member and A-arms. 35 pounds.

That adds up to 111 pounds. That should be good for a tenth in the quarter.

[renemedrano842]

3250 without driver--- there is an amp rack with 2 amps, a wood box with 2 12's(probably 200#s of stereo i could remove in a minute), leather seats, power everything, custom 2x3 sfcs and bracing
on the lightening side there is a bmr kmember and aarms, with pinto manual rack. aluminum block and heads(ls1), !front sway bar, fiberglass hood and fenders



You got any pics of the rack you put on ive been wanting to do this myself but have no idea how to start it.

[Shadow Z]

I WONDER, if anyone has ever just went crazy, dumped an insane amount of cash into their third gen and got completely carbon fiber doors, and a console done. I'm thinking of doing this when I gather up the cash, since there's already a carbon hood going on.

[I H8 WWD]

Originally Posted by -IrocZ-

I WONDER, if anyone has ever just went crazy, dumped an insane amount of cash into their third gen and got completely carbon fiber doors, and a console done. I'm thinking of doing this when I gather up the cash, since there's already a carbon hood going on.

I would be one to say that a lot of people on here drive their cars on the street. Also with CF being so expensive, to get into a crash would SUCK SUCK SUCK. I plan to completely fiberglass my car (Damn 305 with no power).

I say go for it, maybe call up VFN Fiberglass (Where I get my Fiberglass parts). I know they will do anything CF as long as you got the money.

[Shadow Z]

That was just a little late night/early morning pipe dream for me. Lol. If I ever invested thousands on a car with carbon fiber, It'll be a few years from now when I have the funds to pick up an older ZO6.

[Jim 19]

Thought I'd add I just removed my a/c condensor and (radiator?) You know what I mean, anyway, freeing up the airflow to the rad and engine has eliminated my overheating troubles, I am running consistantely 15 degrees cooler which has increased the power output on top of the weight loss.

BTW- anyone know how the notchback compares in terms of aerodynamics? Or the actual weight difference from the hatch?

[I H8 WWD]

Hawks fiberglass notch for our cars weighs around 45lbs which is half the weight of the stock hatch which weighs around 90lbs. I don't know much about the aerodynamics portion of the notch vs hatch.

[topless89]

Originally Posted by -IrocZ-

I WONDER, if anyone has ever just went crazy, dumped an insane amount of cash into their third gen and got completely carbon fiber doors, and a console done. I'm thinking of doing this when I gather up the cash, since there's already a carbon hood going on.

go with fiber glass. check your CF hood too, most af them are fiber glass with a layer or CF for appearance.

[hellz_wings]

Hey guys,

I just weighed my car at a truck stop last night and it was 3400lbs! I thought it would be a lot lighter.. It's a 305tpi, 700r4 86 iroc.. pl, pw, cruise, t-tops.. Not sure how much each of these weight but here's what i've done to reduce the weight:

!smog pump
!egr
!ac system (installed heater box)
!fluid reservoir bottle
!9th injector
fiberglass cowl hood
aluminum waterpump
ported heads
ported plenum
gutted air box
edelbrock headers
accel lingenfelter aluminum intake manifold
momo commando-R steering wheel
3 inch aluminum driveshaft
Gutted Cat

Things I did that added weight:
mac strut tower brace
mac subframe connectors
umi torque arm
b+m transmission cooler

It's not a daily driver but when I drive it I want it to be capable of being daily driven... I never drive it in the rain... It's always clean.. So I'm not taking out back seats for example, or removing interior panels, or removing crash bars, or any of that crazy stuff just to save 7lbs or wtv it is... I'm more of a replace with quality lightweight replacement part kinda guy.. For example, i'm going to get 4th gen seats which should save me about 40lbs more i beleive.. I also heard about lightweight carpet but that would mean i would have no sound deadening and hear all the road noise right?

What else should I do for weight reduction? I contemplated aluminum heads but I don't know the exact cam I have in my car so I'm not sure if changing heads is such a good idea?

LS1 is too expensive so scratch that... although taking off 150lbs would be sweet...

When I rebuild my tranny, can I put a lightweight torque convertor? How would that affect driveability?

Thanks in advance!
-Marc

[strc09]

I recently weighed my 1988 GTA hardtop and it has a 3260-lbs curb weight.

I have done all of the deletes that you've done in addition to adding a fiberglass hood and swapping to a T56. I'll eventually upgrade to the tubular k-member which will take more weight off the car and relocate the battery to the back to help the weight distribution some because I'm sitting at 56/44 distribution right now. I'd like to get it a little closer to 50/50.

Fun fact...according to the Corvette Museum's website I weigh less than a 2009 ZR-1 (3,350-lb.s curb weight) right now...just wish I had the power match.

[Shadow Z]

So has anyone tried REAL weight loss yet? Before I go and spend thousands on body work, including fiberglass fenders, lexan T-tops, fiberglass hood, I'm going to lose some weight off of myself.

I've slowed down to only 2 meals a day, and drink a lot more water, read that it speeds up metabolism by drinking very cold water, your body has to warm it before digestion. I'm trying to get down to 160 pounds, then I'll start on expensive body panels if I'm not happy.

[I H8 WWD]

I used to weigh 155lbs at 5'8". I started working out and am now up to 170lbs. Plan to get up to 190lbs and stay there.

I have already dropped a good 100lbs off the front end of my car. Once I go fiberglass fenders, front bumper, front lip, and some more aluminum parts for the engine as well as tubular suspension parts up front, should drop me a good 200+lbs easily, basically putting my car back to stock weight with me in it. Then I plan to go fiberglass hatch, speedglass windows, fiberglass rear bumper and gfx, lightweight seats, fiberglass dash with all AC/HVAC and ducting removed, smaller TC, CF driveshaft, lightweight wheels, I mean the list just goes on and on and on. I am trying to get my car to 3000lbs flat with me in it which looking around the boards seems very doable. All still being street driven as well.

[stage20]

fiberglass fenders are not that much lighter than stock.
i just swapped out a stock iron center section for an aluminum center(9") saved 9 pounds.
also cut out the bump stop area around the spring. i cut the maximum amount i felt safe. 5 pounds total both sides.
14 pounds lighter aint bad.

[Shadow Z]

My goal is to get the car down to 2,800 without me in it, I'm pretty sure it's doable. I don't think it'll be all that healthy for me to go down to 160 though, I'm 6'1".

I just came in from the garage though, I took out all of that heavy gooey feeling sound proofing from behind the plastic interior, in the backseat. I also took out the backseat speakers, they're pretty heavy despite the small size, they feel about 3-4 pounds. I'm pretty eager to get the car on a scale since I've basically been stripping it down.

[B4Ctom1]

two meals a day can throw your body into panic. I lost all of my weight by watching what I ate, and how much I ate, and eating 6 smaller meals per day. It was like throwing gas on a fire. I burned like crazy, my metobolism exploded, and I lost weight like clockwork.

[robertfrank]

my car is 2860 race weight. (half tank of gas. no pass seat) without me in it. Once I swap the heads I'll be there.

[Shadow Z]

I'm almost completely done stripping out the rear hatch area, I'm pretty sure I'm going to leave the carpet though, unless I get very serious with the weight reduction, I believe it weighs less than 5 pounds.

BUT, I subtracted weight off of that, in the rear hatch area I took off just about every single bit of sound proofing, and that cotton-ish like stuff that is under the carpet, along with ..cardboard.

I'll add some pictures, I think I'm coming along rather good with the weight loss stuff, I'm still retaining a sort of stock interior look, minus the seats, looks nice to me, maybe in the next couple weeks I'll get new carpet. Who knows.



Here's almost everything I've taken out so far, the speakers are in the tub in the picture below, the plastics are going back in though. I really don't think girls dig a bare metal interior.



Oh yeah, at the bar stool, fishing rod, and tackle box in the background.

Everything a guy needs is in my garage! A Camaro, and fishing gear.

[stage20]

if you have stock carpet, i can guarantee you it weighs more than 5 pounds.
my stock rear carpet had a rubber matt attached to the back of it.
just the hatch area carpet was 27 lbs... yes, heavy.
i didnt weigh the front. i removed it years ago for new carpet.
i left the stock carpet underneath the new rear carpet cause it was so thin. it made the aftermarket carpet look better, IMO. i have since removed the stock rear carpet for weight purposes.

[I H8 WWD]

I think the mass backing is some where around 50lbs alone front and back, and the carpet is around 12lbs or so depending on stitch count. So removing the mass backing and keeping the carpet would net around a 50lb weight loss. I plan to fully carpet and mass back my front portion (front seats forward) and remove the carpet from the rear back and eventually have my car tubbed for a nice clean sheet metal look in the rear, should be quite the look for a street car. I will probably have the sheetmetal clear coated or have some sort of clear protection.

[Scorpner]

Originally Posted by stage20

if you have stock carpet, i can guarantee you it weighs more than 5 pounds.
my stock rear carpet had a rubber matt attached to the back of it.
just the hatch area carpet was 27 lbs... yes, heavy.
i didnt weigh the front. i removed it years ago for new carpet.
i left the stock carpet underneath the new rear carpet cause it was so thin. it made the aftermarket carpet look better, IMO. i have since removed the stock rear carpet for weight purposes.

I believe that these are both original GM carpeting from Thirdgens. The thinner carpet came with a matching center console and the headliner and the thicker was taken out of mine.



One has a very thick rubber backing and the other does not. I believe one is the deluxe version and the other standard. But don't quote me on that.

[jm84z28]

try takin the front sway bar takes like 25 pounds off front and ive even heard ppl say pick up a tenth or two b/c of more suspension travel

[V6F1R3BRD]

Originally Posted by jm84z28

try takin the front sway bar takes like 25 pounds off front and ive even heard ppl say pick up a tenth or two b/c of more suspension travel

What the F?

[jm84z28]

Originally Posted by V6F1R3BRD

What the F?

were talkin weight reduction here the front sway bar way probably around 30 lbs. and if your racing it limits the font end suspention to fully travel on launch which hurts weight transfer to the rear

[hellz_wings]

http://www.carbon-fiber-hoods.com/co...en-us/d71.html

They sell carbon fiber doors for 2010-11 camaros... Maybe if we get enough people they can make some for us third genners? Only downside is the price tho... But imagine having doors that weighed a half the weight?

[88birdttop]

any body know how to make my hatch lighter i was thinkin about pullin the glass out and making a lexan peice

[hellz_wings]

They sell Lexan hatches but that would remove weight in the wrong place, the rear. Plus you wouldn't be able the use rear defrost (not sure if anyone uses this). And lexan apparently fades and scratches easily, i heard that speedglass (more $$) is much better.. But not recommended for a street car.

[Shadow Z]

Originally Posted by 88birdttop

any body know how to make my hatch lighter i was thinkin about pullin the glass out and making a lexan peice

You could always buy a set of Percy's speedglass. They sell windshields, left or right door windows, hatches, or complete kits. Don't quote me on this, but I believe for the complete kit (windshield, left & right door, and hatch) you're looking at between 1,000 and 1,300 I think it was. Which is really not bad at all, when you consider the hundreds of dollars it costs just to to buy and have a new windshield installed.

Percy's speedglass, and some types of lexan you can buy are scratch resistant, where you could regularly use windshield wipers. Most people will tell you it is a bad idea because lexan is a very flexible material, it's quite difficult to get it seated just right (Even pre-moulded pieces) and get a good seal. However, we're third gen owners, we're used to leaky T-tops, so I figure a drop or two leaking through your windshield now and then won't be too bad.

There are ways around this, though. If you have the lexan professionally installed, just tell them to throw some silicone aquarium sealant in the mix, it's strong stuff. The little fishie's lives depend on it. LOL.

http://www.percyshp.com/store/speedg...2/cat_203.html

http://www.percyshp.com/

Originally Posted by hellz_wings

They sell Lexan hatches but that would remove weight in the wrong place, the rear.

It's never good to have dead weight, no matter the position, unless you're operating a pulling rig. For what 100, or even 400 pounds of dead weight can do for traction (While killing your ET's) M/T slicks or drag radials could do just as easily, while not killing your times!

[gregsz-28]

Originally Posted by Shadow Z

It's never good to have dead weight, no matter the position, unless you're operating a pulling rig. For what 100, or even 400 pounds of dead weight can do for traction (While killing your ET's) M/T slicks or drag radials could do just as easily, while not killing your times!

[85Z28NOS]

I put my daily driver Camaro on the truck scales at work and it weighed 3300lbs w/o driver
This is a SC Camaro that I installed everything from a 88 GTA into, full interior, digital dash, pwr seats, sub box, 20lbs NOS bottle in spare tire area, AC, TPI/t-5. The only weight loss so far is a 3" bolt fiberglass cowl hood and manual windows,locks, & mirrors.
This is a daily driver that I put 200mi/wk so I am not going to strip it down but want to swap out heavy items for lighter ones in my quest for more speed

[hellz_wings]

3300 is pretty good... I'm at 3370 roughly and i've done TONS of weight reduction mods! I need to weigh again cuz I did change some other things but nothing too drastic.. IMO replacing standard 3rd gen pieces with lighter weight ones is a good way to do it, but expensive. Gutting certain parts of the car make it ghetto if you are driving it on the street. When I take apart the interior to hushmat the whole thing, i'm gonna keep only the driver's seat and go to the track and see what 100lbs less dead weight will net at the track.

Also, if we don't happen to have a set of MT slicks lying around, and you are simply just removing weight over the rear, you WILL lose traction (for ex: i removed spare tire+jack and got a half second less on the 1/4 mile cuz i just couldnt hook up.. but that was back when i had bad tires, now with better tires, yes, it still sticks, but this still proves that less weight over the rear = less traction. How much traction is lost? Well that depends on a number of factors such as HOW much weight was removed, what tires are being used, etc.

Another thing to consider, is relocating certain parts (ex: battery to rear, engine more rear ward although this is a big job, evap canister to lower-rear point, etc.) Some of these things might be extreme but every little bit counts in the final result.

[eagle_eyes]

mine is at 3100 without me and 1/2 tank. LT1 swap with 700R4. AC is on still. the only thing taken out is the rear seats. i even have the spare and jack in the truck. this is the 88 firebird. originally a 2.8

[hellz_wings]

3100 wow... that must be without ground fx and power options?

[eagle_eyes]

no GFX. power windows and door locks. had it weighed at a truck stop and at a meat plant. both the same.

[hellz_wings]

that's 300lbs less than mine! :O didn't know ground fx weighed that much... Carbon fiber ground fx would do wonders for this im sure!

[eagle_eyes]

I haven't added any suspension mods yet, which are going to raise it up. sfc's, torque arm, wonder bar...but hopefully it will still be pretty light when i'm done.

i've read about people using v6 springs when swapping to an LT1 and it still being high. to confirm this, my car with the 2.8 weighed 3120 at 1/2 tank ( i used to work at the truck stop that had scales, so i weighed it often). i gained 2 cylinders and lost 20 lbs. i guess the aluminum heads help out more than you would think.

[hellz_wings]

i didnt know LT1's had aluminum heads?? I thought only the l98 aluminums from vette engines and the LS1 (obviously)..

[eagle_eyes]

92 - 96 corvettes; 93 - 97 camaros and firebirds had LT1's with aluminum heads. the Impalas, crown vics, ect had cast iron heads.

[gregsz-28]

There is no way GFX weigh 300lbs. Maybe 25% of that, at most.
And crown vics are Fords, they never had LT1's.

[ericjon262]

Originally Posted by eagle_eyes

92 - 96 corvettes; 93 - 97 camaros and firebirds had LT1's with aluminum heads. the Impalas, crown vics, ect had cast iron heads.