Are there any easy ways to cut weight out of a third-gen? I was thinking about taking the rear hatch off at the track. Is this allowed? I know it weighs a tonne! easy. Also the seats come out easy enough Am I allowed to race with my T-Tops out?

I figure if I take all that crap off, my car will be at least 300 lbs lighter... I already have a glass hood, so it should make for a fairly light car.

 

Seats I'm sure are fine, but in most places, if you remove the T-Tops I think they'll consider it a convertible if they allow it at all. Only affect that may have is on your requirements as far as your times go. Basically convertibles require roll cages before hard tops do, along with all the other safety requirements when you get down in the 12, 11, and 10 second ranges, but if you aren't running those times it shouldn't matter. As for the back hatch, I don't know. You'd have to ask the track officials. It would probably vary from track to track.

Are you looking at investing any money to lighten your vehicle? There are a number of options, but most are relatively expansive. You can get lexan replacements for any of your windows that will reduce a lot of weight, as well a fiberglass hood and rear spoiler. If you have heavy stereo equipment in your vehicle (amps and subs with heavy sub boxes), these should definitely be removed. Front end can be lightened slightly by using smaller and narrower front wheels (though the tracks require a certain minimum size) That also reduces the weight of your rotating mass, which is a bigger benefit then reducing sprung weight. Reducing unsprung weight fits in between rotating mass and sprung weight as far as benefits are concerned. If you're not familiar with what these three terms specifically mean....

rotating mass: all the components in the engine and drivetrain that rotate and are responsible for getting the combustion energy transferred to the ground.

unsprung weight: All the components that are not supported by the suspension. These include the wheels, brakes, axle, a-arms, and suspension components themselves.

sprung weight: All the components of the vehicle that are supported by the suspension.

The biggest performance gains come from reducing weight of those three areas in the following order... rotating mass, sprung weight, and unsprung weight.

Reducing rotating and sprung weight can be up to 3-6 times more beneficial to performance then reducing sprung weight. Of course, sprung weight represent the biggest portion of your total vehicle weight, so you've got the biggest room for improvement there.

You can reduce rotating mass with a lighter (aluminum) driveshaft, lighter wheels and tires, lighter brake rotors (lighter brake rotors will exhibit fade a lot quicker, however. For drag racing, this typically isn't an issue, but for everyday riding, or aggressive riding, this can be a very big issue)

Keep in mind that items like the wheels, tires, and rotors are rotating mass AND unsprung weight. While the gains aren't exactly double effective there, you do kill two birds with one stone. And outside those areas, there's not much else available to reduce unsprung weight other then the rest of the suspension components themselves, and sturdy components are far more preferable then light components.

 

Removing t-tops isn't considered a convertable however NHRA rules under ET Handicap racing Section 7:Body

Full-bodied vehicles must have full top and windshield

This means you can't remove the T-tops. Find a set of Lexan ones. They shave about 10 pounds off the car.

You can't remove the rear glass since all windows must be in place and closed. The back glass is over the rear wheels and helps traction anyway. Ever try racing a pickup? No weight over the rear causes no traction.

Reducing weight really depends on what you want to do with the car. There's lots of places to reduce it and still keep it streetable and you can remove even more making it still look original but not very safe on the street.

Start with simple things like removing the insulation from under the carpet, seats, spare tire etc. You can disassemble the doors and cut out the crash bar from the inside. If the doors are power options, convert them to manual. That's 35 pounds per door. You can remove the crash bumpers from behind the front and rear bumper covers. Take off the power steering box, pump, lines and cooler if equiped and install a manual box from an S10/S15.

Becoming less streetable you can remove the heater and AC system, take out the radio, antena and speakers, remove all the carpet, take out all the wiring that's not required, take off the mirrors.

Getting racing rims and bias tires (slicks) reduces weight. Both my slicks mounted on 15x10 Weld draglites weigh less than one rear radial tire without a rim.

Getting more expensive in options includes aluminum engine parts such as heads, water pump, rad, intake manifold. Fiberglass fenders and door are available and a complete Lexan window kit is around $800.

My car is really stripped down for racing. It doesn't have Lexan windows, fiberglass fenders or doors. It has a 6 point roll bar because I run in the 11's. When I had a small block in it last year, with me in the car, race ready, it was 3045 pounds.

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Follow my racing progress on Stephen's racing page
and check out the race car

87 IROC-Z Pro ET Bracket Race Car
383 stroker (carbed) with double hump cast iron heads and pump gas
461 Big Block installed and ready for the 2001 racing season

Best results before the 383 blew up
Best ET on a time slip: 11.857 altitude corrected to 11.163
Best MPH on a time slip: 117.87 altitude corrected to 126.10
Altitude corrected rear wheel HP based on power to weight ratio: 476.5
Best 60 foot: 1.662

Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association

87 IROC bracket car, 91 454SS daily driver, 95 Homebuilt Harley

[This message has been edited by Stephen 87 IROC (edited April 03, 2001).]

 

I know that you wouldn't be allowed to race without the rear hatch, but just out of curiosity, would it be more beneficial to have it off, and lose that weight... or is it more important to have that weight on the rear wheels?