i was wondering what you guys out there with big block 4th gens how light did yall make your cars and see pics of how gutted your cars are 2

 

Gutted doors & bumper supports, still have most of the stock interior, 4130 Cage, 9" w/ aluminum center, Aerospace brakes, 4130 suspension, stock spindles, Holeshot wheels, Turbo 400, pin-on VFN Sunoco, Summit radiator, Kirkeys, aluminum heads puts me at 3375 WITHOUT me in the car.

 

dang i hope mine not going to be that heavy

 

You may be able to shave a few pounds, but that is why they call a big block a "pig block"!

Realistically, some fiberglass and lexan would go a long way (as would an aluminum block ), but for me, the car is as light as it is going to get without a backhalf job.

 

Pacos 25.2 stock suspended 2000TA with a BBC on NOS weighs 3000 with driver. All the glass is there except the windshield.

 

yep a big block is going to definately be some added weight but its going to be able to handle a lot and more then likely not break down. it has its pros and cons just like a small block setup.

 

I would love to know how he pulled that off

 

I built the car. Its called being creative. Every bracket that wasnt needed was removed. The tubs are carbon fiber. The block is aluminum. We spent alot of time on simple weight reduction.

 

Hell yea, thats the way to be creative.

Ive heard people replacing normal bolts/ nuts with Ti equivilent stuff. I mean depending how crazy you want to get, people can make their cars very light.

 

You still running the HVAC or did you pull it inside and outside the car?

 

I have the dash (gutted) with the original gage cluster (not working), Autometer gages (that do work) in place of the HVAC cluster, and then the HVAC box and ducts are all gone. The factory harness is gone, as are the airbags, and everything was replaced with Painless wiring.

The BBC does do a nice job heating the car year round though. Next time I have the car out, I will take some pics of what is there and what has been removed.

Short of taking a sawzall and a hole saw to the subframe and inner fenders, I am at a loss for where I can cut more weight. Maybe trim behind the fenders? Cut more out of the core support? But those will be marginal reductions.

After the "great" experience with my hood, I can gurantee you there will not be a 'glass hatch, lexan rear, or glass bumper/rear panel in my future.

But I do bracket and index racing, so the weight is not as critical as the heads-up cars like Madman's.

 

stuff like good brakes, shocks, wheels, tires, k-member, glide go a long way when added up.. even though the good shocks and wheels may only weigh a few lbs less it all ads up in the end....bogart/(nice)weld wheels are 1 big thing...

the one thing that hurts me is not having an aluminum block or lexan windshield like paco's car... other than that i'd say mine will be as light as around 3250 race weight....

 

This is probably a dumb question, but how do you secure the fiber tubs? Just rivets and seam filler? Pics?

Thanks,
Nate

 

Wow, I was always told that the BBC was normally only 120# more then the SBC, and I know my car is not up to the class of a lot of you guys because I still have the stock LT1 (Heavier then the LS1), stock 4l60e, stock rear, and no bar, and the last time I weighed it it weighed in at 2985 with me in it, and I have a ton of weight that I can still take out, and actualy taking more than 80+ # out right now by finally switching to Aerospace brakes, Burkhart Lower A-arms and removing the ABS.

But as I was saying I still have a lot of weight to remove, and I know when I get a full cage put in it and wheel tubs done I was quoted it would only add just over 55# (+ ~90# from CM cage, - ~35 # from mini tubs), and then the rear will add no more than 100# depending on what I go with, and I am pretty sure that even after that I can still have the RW below 3000# without doing any of the other weight reduction I still have to do...

That being said a BBC/Powerglide combo and the leftover weight reduction I have I can't see that being much more then ~3100# race weight...

 

I could put a 'glide in my car and still not be close to 3100#. I have 4130 everything and am pretty well gutted.

Without a lot of creative engineering or using exotic lightweight parts, I would say that Ty's 3250# is about as best as I could do while keeping the vehicle safe and reliable.

 

They are bolted in with 10x32 bolts and nuts.

 

My old 2000 Camaro was 3100 w/o driver and with an LS1, and that was with a bolton VFN hood, stock brakes and stock k member, regular ford 9", T400, short dual exhaust.

 

with madman using an aluminum block and lexan i'd say im pretty close with my 3200~lb race weight... i'm hoping for 3100lb but you know how that goes...

 

It only has lexan in the front windshield. Also you have to remember how big the crank rods and pistons are to make it around 700 inches. You can get the cars light, you just have to want to do the labor to get them that lite.

 

You're exactly right. A lot of people over look the simple things in removing weight. I've taken out over 300 lbs in crap from my 93. I've calculated it will weigh 3226 lbs with 155 lbs of me in it. That's including a 8 point moly cage, two leater seats, carpet, all interior panels, AC, PS, turbo setup, stock glass, body panels, suspension parts. The only weight reduction item will be a BMR k member so I can fit the turbo setup and keep all the accesories. With some lighter suspension parts, speed glass front / rear, VFN hood, lighter seats, brakes, etc I think it will be sub 2900lbs.

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