Hello everyone....

I was wondering if anyone here knows where to purchase the "lightest weight hood and possibly a light weight plexy rear hatch" for racing purposes.....

Im trying to squeeze every last bit of 1/4 mile performance out of my 89 Turbo Trans Am......weight reduction is my final goal for this car.....

 

where in NJ are you, i want to see this TTA

 

http://www.vfnfiberglass.com/site.htm

A few hoods on this site claiming to be 12 lbs.


As for the rear hatch, I hope you're considering traction issues when using a lightweight hatch and how to make up for rear weight loss. I've known a few drag cars to really hurt their 60' foot times just by adding lexan glass. A lightweight hatch would really take some weight off. Just letting you know.

I did know a site that sold them, can't find it at the moment thou sorry.

 

Here's some more sites to look at

http://www.showcars-bodyparts.com/8292cam.html

(If a part begins with the letter "G" under "PART#" it is referring to fiberglass)

http://www.hotrodssuperstore.com/1919cambrfib1.html

http://www.up22.com/camaro82.htm

 

is it red with a white front bumper by any chance?

 

Thank you all for the info on the parts.....

My location is in North Jersey "Passaic County"

The car is an all white Turbo Trans Am that rarely sees any street action......only driven on the street to get to the race track and back..

 

What all have you done to lighten the car aready? lexan windows, remove front and rear metal bumpers that are behind the plastic, replace with alluminum braces, remove sway bar, manuel steering box of a S10, there are also metal bars that run down the doors that can be removed. remove all air conditioner/ heater core, duct work, and if you got the money alluminum heads, intake and water pump. as for a light weight hood, I agree that VFN advertises light weight stuff.

 

Thanks for your input Bink..............

So far I only removed the interior so the roll cage can be installed..and a light weight seat..

next will be the hood and rear hatch with fiberglass.
Then remove the doors and replace with fiberglass and lexan..

If Im not happy with that.. Ill move on with the ideas you (BINK) mentioned..

BINK do you know any more weight saving ideas besides engine mods?

 

Unless you just wanted the fiberglass doors, you will lose alot of weight out of them when you gut all the widow assesmbly and metal braces that are in the door. My dad was talking to someone at the track about the fiberglass trunk lid. The guy said it had to be trimmed to fit, and didn't look natural, the guy also said for the money they cost he wasn't really happy with it. My dad and I have been checking in to getting a tubular K member with tubular A arms, seems to be a big weight savings. Also we have been checking into a lighter weight disc brake set up for the front,maybe finding some lighter disc of another car and getting them drilled to fit . Wildwood makes one(EXPENSIVE). There is also a lot of weight in the rear glass. That is another area we are checking into.Also you can get a rack and pinion steering. You can take out the dash and make an alluminum or a thin tin one.
If I think of anything else I will post it.

What times are you running now, have you weighed your car to see where your at on weight, what are your motor specs?just curious

 

My car tips the scale at about 3500lbs

Its a 100 000+ mile BUICK V6 1989 turbo trans am with an unopened engine (knock on wood!!)

my mods consist of:

open exhaust
fuel pump
ecm chip upgrade
K&N air filter
adjustable wastegate
adj. fuel pressure reg.
M&H 10"slicks

car averages 11.80's at 118mph
with VP 116 gas @ 24psi of boost

Im stepping up to 30 psi of boost with new fuel injectors a trans brake and my weight loss program to hopefully hit the 10's with a basically stock untouched motor.

 

You're crazy! That car is really going to be worth big bucks one day. I see some going for crazy amounts!! Don't ruin it!

 

BallisticV6
I tried to weigh my car at the track Sun. The scales where old and looked like the ones in a doc's office, so I don't know how accurate they are, but the scales said
less than 2900
more than 2600
it was trying to balance around 2700
I figured about 2750, without me in it
I weigh 170, so about 2900 lbs with me in it.
By they way I ran a 12.197 at 107 with a 2.019 60 ft.
I need a bigger converter, first pass my car bogged , and it almost died, when I floored it and it hooked. I am going to get a 3000 stall. I will run 11's off motor, I am trying for 11.80's
355 ci.
9.7-9.8 compression-1"spacer, plus 1/2 nitrous plate
Trick flow twisted wedge heads
268 extreme cam- 477/480 lift(224/230 @0.050)
1.5 roller tip rockers,
RPM Performer intake
holley 650 double pumper
headman headers- full length
turbo 350 trans, 1900-2200 stall; manuel valve body
26 in. tall tires Drag Radials
4:11 posi trac 10 bolt

:lala:

 

nice work on your weight loss BINK......
Im sure 11's are on your way....
I just finished removing all the seats and carpet in my car and next is the 8 point roll bar and simpson racing seat.
also waiting for the fiberglass hood and doors.....
Ill post the results of my weight loss....

 

how much are the doors supposed to weigh apiece?

 

Wow that comment scares the **** out of me....if youre going to remove any safety stuff replace it. You can get chrome moly tubing to replace all of that and its much lighter then steel as well as much stronger. No point in having a 10 second car if it means your going to die if it ever crashes.....

 

Bink... the doors from VFN should weigh around 11-12 lbs with lexan and the hinges..
Ill let you know after I get them and put them on my scale..

 

"Wow that comment scares the **** out of me....if youre going to remove any safety stuff replace it. You can get chrome moly tubing to replace all of that and its much lighter then steel as well as much stronger. No point in having a 10 second car if it means your going to die if it ever crashes....."


most people who remove what I've said, and run 10's have a roll cage. Also i said to replace the bumper braces with alluminum. I don't know about you , but I can't afford chrome moly. I didn't ask how often he drives the car, but if it is a strip only, or even a street/strip car that is not driven everyday, then I see no problems with it. I don't think I can afford gas for mine to drive everyday, but I would if I could. I am not worried about the stuff being removed.

 

Y are you destoying that car?? Not only is it worth some but it sounds like a nice car,

 

I know youd have a roll cage but id still think youd want something to absorb the impact on the front of the car if you crashed its just a safety thing and aluminum tubing isnt going to be as strong as steel. Also figured if youre going to spend the money to run 10's you should probably be willing to spend the money on safety stuff so that 10 second car isnt the end of you if you crash. And as far as the bracing in the side of the door thats not as big of a deal if you have the roll cage because that would replace the bar thatd go there.

 

If you wanna keep its resale value just keep all the stock parts and do mods that can be easily change back to stock.

 

hmmm after you've ripped your car apart and you got money to blow on some extra weight cutting... you could get a dyna-batt battery.. weighs 13.5lbs instead of like 35 or whatever... they're kinda costly though... but next time your battery dies, you could replace it with that and knock like 20 pounds off the wieght... and stop eating at mcdonalds... might help abit too.

 

I seen a guy on the net who made a fiberglass hatch and used a lexan window that looks COMPLEATLY stock take a look he also shows how he built it.....so it is possible guys!
(check out page 8 and page 9) http://www.cardomain.com/id/u8win_n

 

I was just going totell you that I ran my car again. Same combo as above with the eception of a BTE 10" stall. My best pass was:
60ft: 1.651
1/8: 7.376 @ 93.47
1/4: 11.592 @114.72
There is a little more left in it. The jetting on the carb and timming needs to be tunned a little. Alsomy converter will foot brake to 3000RPM and my tires won't hook with that, I am also running out of gear at about 3/4 of track. I am going to try my Dad's 28" slicks to see how it runs before I go buy some other tires. I am probablly going to get some mickey thompson ET streets.
There was no N02 on this or any of my runs so far. I still have to get the lines/ electrical stuff hooked up before I can spray. I might get me some 11. 0's. Not to bad for a little small block, huh?

 

I was just going totell you that I ran my car again. Same combo as above with the eception of a BTE 10" stall. My best pass was:
60ft: 1.651
1/8: 7.376 @ 93.47
1/4: 11.592 @114.72
There is a little more left in it. The jetting on the carb and timming needs to be tunned a little. Alsomy converter will foot brake to 3000RPM and my tires won't hook with that, I am also running out of gear at about 3/4 of track. I am going to try my Dad's 28" slicks to see how it runs before I go buy some other tires. I am probablly going to get some mickey thompson ET streets.
There was no N02 on this or any of my runs so far. I still have to get the lines/ electrical stuff hooked up before I can spray. I might get me some 11. 0's. Not to bad for a little small block, huh?

 

not bad at all! Congrats. Is it street legal? That thing would absolutly OWN on the street. Im still dreaming of the day i put a viper owner in tears with a camaro

 

Congrats with your 11 sec membership..........
I hope you now make it into the 10's..............

You can now give half liter sport motorcycles a run for their money....

 

Thank you for letting me into the club. It feels good.

The people in the stands said it was pulling the wheels up about 3-4 inches. I can't wait for the NO2. This whole racing thing is like an addiction, and I can't get enough!!

Hows your weight savings coming along? Have you ran your car lately?

 

I havent been able to work on my car for the past 6weeks
Ive been working 6 day weeks and my wife always has something for me to do on my only day off .....damn!!!!

I hope to focus on my car during the christmas holidays...

good luck on your 10 sec quest...
Easy on the N2O ....make sure you have a solid fuel delivery system, start off as rich as you can to prevent any lean conditions with the motor...... and may your front end reach for the sky....

Later.............BallisticV6