Extreme Weight Reduction
Quick question here, I know the v8/v6 have different wiring harnesses, but, are you able to remove the engine harness with the motor still in the car? is it a PITA or fairly easy?
I had the motor out last year, but I never really looked closely at the harness to figure out where the connection points were to remove it.
Alrighty, moving forward. I shaved off about 1.5 lbs of metal in the trunk yesterday, I am up to 23lbs total weight savings and I still have ideas and havent touched the front inner fenders yet or any of the disconnected wiring dangling in my engine bay from stuff I dont have anymore. I'm pretty pumped and you guys have been a big help so far.
I got a few more questions, I'll likely update my website later tonight with the progress pics; pretty pumped with how some things came out, and I think some of you less extreme guys might like a few things I did in the trunk. (incase some of you are wondering why I am not posting progress pics in here, its just because I think it is easier for someone to follow if I host them all on one site without things getting lost in questions/comments in a thread)
Ok, do we have inner fenders in the rear of the car? The two pictures below I circled in red what I think the inner fenders might be? They are seperate from the metal that is the actual rear fenders. Can we safely holesaw these or do they play a structural roll in the car?
2ndly, what the heck is this? looks like a vent of some sort maybe? Do I really need it?
And, just thought some of you might find this interesting...this is what 1.5lbs of shaved metal looks like....not much eh?
I got a few more questions, I'll likely update my website later tonight with the progress pics; pretty pumped with how some things came out, and I think some of you less extreme guys might like a few things I did in the trunk. (incase some of you are wondering why I am not posting progress pics in here, its just because I think it is easier for someone to follow if I host them all on one site without things getting lost in questions/comments in a thread)
Ok, do we have inner fenders in the rear of the car? The two pictures below I circled in red what I think the inner fenders might be? They are seperate from the metal that is the actual rear fenders. Can we safely holesaw these or do they play a structural roll in the car?
2ndly, what the heck is this? looks like a vent of some sort maybe? Do I really need it?
And, just thought some of you might find this interesting...this is what 1.5lbs of shaved metal looks like....not much eh?
I also plan on chopping the exhaust just after the cat and replacing it with something like a bullet muffler. As it is now I drive around with my cutout dumped at the rear axle, why have all the weight of the muffler/piping if I am not using it anyways? Plus a tipless camaro look is starting to grow on me.
Hiossilver, that k-frame just makes me nervous. That I feel is unsafe. I already have a PA racing K frame and Lower A arms, I'll be getting tubular upper A arms next season as well when I do the upper ball joints.
I don't feel compfortable drilling the axles myself, I would only have a shop do something like that for me. Not sure if that would effect balancing?
I am not sure which brake bracket you have there, but the rears I have look much different and smaller than that big circular one you have that you shopped the top off of? what is that?
That brake bracket is a rear for a ls car, you would have lt1 brakes. I have done the fronts too. As far as the k-member goes, I still use it as a jack piont, Are you gonna use your tubular one as a jack point in the middle? It's still very substantial....lol funny you say that because the tubular ones make me nervous. There has been more than one crack/break and guys complain about feeling flex in the front, mine has none of that. Guys have even broken the aftermarket lower front control arms.
The big circular thing is the backing plate on the rear.
If I were only into goin straight I would've removed alot more material from all these parts.
The big circular thing is the backing plate on the rear.
If I were only into goin straight I would've removed alot more material from all these parts.
Last edited by HioSSilver; Oct 9, 2012 at 11:41 PM.
get a spot weld cutter from harbor freight Get 2 or 3, for long nights. they replace them for free. thats the best $4 thing you will buy for DIY weight redux. fawk the 3/4 holes saws .04 oz at a time.
drill the welds off and remove extra crap, fill a little bucket, thats 20-50pounds each
drill the welds off and remove extra crap, fill a little bucket, thats 20-50pounds each
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Verdad Gallardo About 26-28# if I remember correctly. The pedestals weigh about 1/2 what the iron ones did. The kmember weighs 29# now. I cut all the flanging off and welded it solid all around which isn't even done from the factory.
just an update.
Got the car weighed in today just to give me a baseline of where I am sitting. 3140 in it's current race trim which includes no back seats/sail panels/door skins/trunk divider. (passenger seat has been re-installed)
so if my math is correct she is sitting at roughly 3204 in street trim. The car has just under a 3/4 full tank of gas
Not too bad because I know the ford 8.8 definetly added a good 40-50lbs easily to the car.
Now the trick will be plugging away to eventually get this thing down to 2700lbs...long way to go
Got the car weighed in today just to give me a baseline of where I am sitting. 3140 in it's current race trim which includes no back seats/sail panels/door skins/trunk divider. (passenger seat has been re-installed)
so if my math is correct she is sitting at roughly 3204 in street trim. The car has just under a 3/4 full tank of gas
Not too bad because I know the ford 8.8 definetly added a good 40-50lbs easily to the car.
Now the trick will be plugging away to eventually get this thing down to 2700lbs...long way to go
Wow, I figured you would be lighter than 3140 with your interior out. I should be around 2960-2980 with everything but a front sway bar......and I mean everything. That would be in race trim and low gas.
There isn't much missing from the car right now...maybe 60lbs tops?
I guessed it would be in around 3100lbs. Remember the ford rear end I have adds alot more weight than the old 10 bolt. plus I have almost 3/4 a tank of gas, that's approximately 52.5lbs in itself.
When I raced friday night I would have been about 72.5lbs lighter because I Still had the carpet in the car and I had some heavy *** drag radials on the car lol
