weight loss

[10sec.et]

AFIK, we dont have a thread covering weight loss. please correct me if im just a blind dumba$$.

i was talking to Clay about cutting weight on his Nova and got to thinking about what i did to mine. i managed to get my portly Cutlass from nearly 3700 lbs down to 3250 lbs. some of the things ive done......

cut the bracing out of the steel hood- about 20 lbs
built a core support out of 3/4" square tubing- loss of about 35 to 40 lbs.
ditched the power steering and pump.
glass bumpers and aluminum brackets.
no heat or ac. just the heater/ac box assembly inside was worth about 30 lbs.
no front sway bar
swapped the factory seats for a pair out of an import. the factory seats actually had a LOT of steel in them and were super heavy.
back halved the car and put back aluminum in the floor instead of steel.
chrome moly cage.
removed regulators from rear quarter glass and made stationary mounts (aluminum of course).

other stuff is just the usual, aluminum heads, intake etc.

[Big Dave]

I do the same.

I also use a hole saw on any sheet metal that gets covered by plastic or cardboard that isn't a structural member such as the A pillar or B pillar on a late model with roll over protection (though if building one today I would use a plasma cutter). I take the car down to a body in white fully stripping the car. Then I scrape the sealer out of all of the seams. Rewire the car to use only the circuits I need. Replace trunk lid, doors, and front end (everything forward of the firewall) with fiberglass (if I were doing it again today I would specify carbon fiber). I use aluminum to fill the holes where the heater core used to be and the rear trunk fire wall. Replace all flat glass in the doors with plexiglass.

I think if I were to start such a project today I would build a tube frame and drop a fiberglass (carbon fiber) body over it with a removable front end, even though they offer a flopper body that costs less.

VFN now offers:

68-72 Nova roof Clip $2900.00 Weight=45lbs
68-72 Nova Doors with Posts. Lexan Use only $704.00 a pair Weight=12 each
68-72 Pro Front End (Fits '73-74). $875.00 Weight=22
68-72 Nova 3" lower Spoiler. $205.00 Weight=3
68-72 Nova Style Grill And Headlight Vinyl Graphic Sets, Pre-Cut To Fit Our Nova Front End and Includes the SS emblems to go in the middle.Available in Regular Chrome Or Black Appearance $110.00
'68-74 Dash. $279.00 Weight=5 each
68-72 Nova Extended wheel wells 36" Price=158.00 Weight=3 each
68-72 Nova Lift Off Trunk $190.00 Weight=9
68-72 Nova Inner Fenders $228.00 a pair Weight=4 each
68-72 Nova Flat Pin On Hood W/cowl $299.00 Weight=12

I would use a flat hood with inner fender panels since with a custom built tube frame the motor can go anywhere in the car and I like the idea of a Potvin mounted Roots blower with EFI under a flat stock looking hood.

This buys you a complete car less floors that weighs only 130 pounds, and will cost you six thousand without the hardware to make it work (door hinges and latches.

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

[af2]

[clay]

I couldn't agree more on the sway bar. Over the years of making more power then catching up with the chassis, making more power, chasing, etc. my car has driven pretty bad at times and the sway bar makes is WAY more recoverable. I personally would never take mine off (again). I had a similar experience that af2 described. It's a sick feeling when the car is swinging back and forth out of control, your're steering your a$$ off and you know you're behind the whole time. Besides the factory sway bar on my Nova is only about 5/8" I'm guessing so it doesn't weigh that much anyway. So far my weight savings have been the following:

Fiberglass hood - 30 lbs savings
Wilwood brakes - 30 lbs savings
Drop intercooler - 27 lbs savings
Hood hinges - 6 ea x 2 = 12 savings

I have to finish fitting the hood and I think I'm going to epoxy some aluminum blocks to them so I can use the little import hinges that don't have springs and just use a prop rod (10sec.et idea). I'm not sure if dropping the intercooler is good or not. I've logged air temps in the past on air/ air intercoolers and they appear to stay heat soaked at the track as they don't work nearly as good as they do on the street. I'll have to see how the power goes - might end up putting it back on. Trying to get ready to do some testing in a month or so. Clay

[10sec.et]

ok bad tip on the sway bar for stock type chassis. however, its what i did on MY car. my suspension is no longer factory. the only factory parts are the front lower arms. i built everything else using my own specs. the first thing i changed was adding 10° positive caster.

i know how sh!tty a 66 Chevelle drives. it needs all the help it can get. actually, i get to drive lots of 60s-70s cars and am nervous driving those things the speed limit. definitely DO NOT take the sway bar off of something like that.

one more thing i forgot to add (Clay reminded me) is that i have small import hood hinges instead of the heavy factory ones.

[af2]

[clay]

I have 5* which is about all I can get using the factory parts. Even at just 5* caster the camber angle is a little off. I have just sort of worked to a happy median between the two. I have thought about remaking the upper pivot bar to offset the ends to allow more positive caster and get camber back right. Another one of those things on the "to do" list one day. Clay

[10sec.et]

[10sec.et]

[squeeezer]

13 degrees .........wow!!!!

[af2]

[af2]

[squeeezer]

Geez......... Adam you no maka fun of da "chrome molly"......your slippin!!!!!

[af2]

[10sec.et]

WTF are you guys talking about ? her name is MOLLY!!!!