Looking around the internet, I've noticed without discrimination, everyone speaks about how heavy the GTO is. I just saw a raceweight of 44XX pounds, nearly the weight of my Jeep Cherokee, and was wondering, where and how are these cars so sickly heavy? F bodies are nearly always under 3700 it seems and I'd like to know where all the extra fat is on the GTO! The LSx powerplant draws me to this, and my euro research proves the independent rear suspension to like turns more. Speaking of that, can I buy parts to help this handle a lot better? Compare the market to f-bodies, as they're the main competion in terms of what I'll buy.

The weight of these cars is terrible though and I was wondering if it can be taken out without sacrificing a lot. I mean, there is no reason I can see a 645 RWHP car on slicks fighting for a 10 second quarter.

Along with that, I keep hearing about weak drivelines. Where are the weakpoints, and can they be beefed up? This goes for both the M6 and A4. I guess the driveshaft likes to twist, but where else should I expect to break if I got into a GTO with more power?

Thanks for any help on any of my stupid questions!

 

44xx lbs? HaHa nowhere close. That is WAY over what these things actually weigh in at. From what I have seen and been told it is more around 3700-3800.

 

44xxlbs? Maybe if the driver was a f-in elephant.

With 1/8 tank of gas the M6's are right around 3650lbs and the A4's are around 3725lbs.

 

when i'm done i removing some metal(gas tank brace,towing brace, skid plate plus some more) mine should be around 3600

 

Mine was around 3750

 

Mine weighs in at 3875 with me (200 lbs) and 1/4 tank of gas. I've done no major weight reduction.

 

Mine was 3,760. Exactly 300 pounds more than my Z28. While that's not bad overall, keep in mind, with my a$$ in it, it's over 4,000. So this is where it starts adding up. If you end up racing something in the WRX/Evo/????? category, they've got you whooped in weight by a significant margin. Heck, even a lightweight mustang or 1LE is going to have a significant advantage on you.

The cars that tip the scales around 4k, if not more are the Chrysler cars. NOT the GTO!

 

Fair enough guys. Sorry about that huge weight mistake. I'm still wondering though, can you cut the weight down without losing all your comforts? Are the stock wheels super heavy? Tank of a hood? Along with that, can the suspension be tuned to turn well? Finally, where are the weakpoints in the drivetrain?

 

Most tracks won't let you race without a hood. Remove your spare tire/jack set, race with a quarter tank of gas.

 

The wheels/tires if anything are lighter because the 17’s are a 17.7.5” wheel, vs. the standard and common 17x9 wheel size. From taking mine on/off, they aren’t any heavier than any others on my fleet of vehicles. The jack and spare will save you a few pounds, the skidplate to protect the oil pan will save you a few pounds. If no one will sit in the rear seats, those can be removed and someone on LS1GTO.com was selling filler panels to clean up the void back there. Some guys have removed the fuel tank brace, etc.



There isn’t a lot to remove on these cars without losing what makes them so nice. These aren’t like the F-Body where you can gut them for the strip.

 

well,

I've run mine down the 1320 on "Stock" driveline (34K miles on the stock clutch)
with Radial tires at 11.68@118mph
and I've cut 1.555 60'

and I'm sure my race weight is well above 4100 (215lb driver, almost full tank of fuel, full interior, spare, jack, and half a trunk full of ****)

 

You can make these cars turn well with some simple suspension upgrades.

I think the stock 17's weigh in at 26 or so lbs a piece so they're pretty hefty.
For the track I ditch the skid plate and the jack/spare but thats about it.

 

As far as the driveline goes, Im sure that the driveshaft will be the first thing to let go. Its a two-piece shaft that hooks to the transmission and rear end not with U-joints, but with rubber "donuts"--hence the springy feeling of the stock shaft. I have already looked into fixing this problem on mine, BMR Fabrication makes a really nice 3.5 inch one-piece shaft that has strong U-joints, and it comes with a nice big yoke adapter.

 

I'll probably get flamed by my GTO buddies for this; but..........
If running 10s is really high on your priorities, you probably would be better off considering the F-Body. The GTO has been on the streets for over three years and less than 20 guys have seen 10 second ETs with it. Most of those have been in the high 10s; although one car has broken into the 9s. It is relatively easy to get into the 11s without breaking the bank; but the last jump for 10s comes at a cost.

The GTO is not as heavy as you initially thought; but even with weight reduction you are going to give away ~200-300 lbs to the F-Body. It is also traction limited when compared to the F-Body. The rear wheel wells limit tire width to 275s; and the IRS makes it very prone to wheel hop. A few guys are in the process of converting to solid axles and tubbing the wheel wells while others just aren't willing to chop up a newer, nice car; or lay out 3 grand to solve the traction problem. Many guys on the GTO forum would kill for a 1.8 sec 60' time. Others, have cut 1.5s and 1.6s....but not consistently.

Future parts availability might also be a consideration. We all know that drag racing breaks things. This shouldn't be a problem as far as engine and transmission is concerned; because those pieces are used in applications other than the GTO. All the remaining parts are specific to the GTO/Monaro and may take longer to get since they are manufactured in Australia. Keep in mind that somebody (usually you) is going to incur shipping costs for those parts in addition to the cost of the part itself.

OTOH, if you are looking for a great driving, quiet, solid, comfortable car, with a great interior; and can be satisfied with occasional blasts into the 11s...the GTO is probably the car for you. As I said earlier, it all comes down to your real priorities and what you are willing to spend to reach your goals.

 

Big heavy skid plate
Big heavy tow hitch mount
Big heavy fuel tank brace
Big heavy luxurious leather seats
Other big heavy items I forgot to mention