Losing weight on your b-body ??

[Mike Gaines]

Let us see all your mods that helped you lose weight on your b-body. We all know, of course, about fiberglass fenders, bumpers, hoods, deck lids, and lexan windows...but it is the other trick stuff like:
1) correct way to lighten k-member
2) lighting steel bumper brackets or aluminum bumper brackets
3) hole punching (ala cranky) the interior of the steel door panels
4) drilling holes in inside front fender well panels or even removing inner front fender well panels
5) drilling or punching holes places we never thought of
6) and other trick stuff we just haven't thought of.
ALL HELP APPRECIATED.
LESS WEIGHT IS CHEAPER THAN MAKING HORSEPOWER.

 

[moparcrazy]

AlterKation front suspension took 150 LBS off the front end of my car !

 

[Mike Gaines]

Thanks

 

[dvw]

Cut the K-frame, 18lbs. Cut the inner door panels, remove regulators, install 1/8" Lexan except windshield, 86lbs. Tube steering shaft, 7lbs. Carbon fiber bumper brackets, 23.5 lbs. Tubing strut rods, 5lbs, aluminum hood pins. Aluminum drive shaft. Internal trans weight 15lbs. My 64 weighs 3120 w/o fuel or driver. It is all steel except hood. Steel bumpers, old school American wheels, fire system, 2 45lb batteries. Megablock, large cast intake with 2 carbs, Dana, dual factory fans. Lots of extra cage tubing. Just missing lots of little stuff.
Doug

 

[Trench]

You could switch to lithium ion batteries.

 

[bobtile]

http://lingenfeltersbrackets.com/68-70-b-body.html?m

 

[NOSTRT980]

dvw, where do you get carbon fiber bumper brackets?

 

[dvw]

dvw, where do you get carbon fiber bumper brackets?

Made them by laying the carbon fiber on the original brackets. Then cut, trimmed and drilled the holes.
Doug

 

[Badvert65]

Among other things...
65 Belvedere trans mount cross member. Went from 6 lbs. to 3 lbs.

 

[Mike Gaines]

Great info....keep it coming....

 

[mmissile]

At a certain point...it's no longer a car that can be raced in a bunch of classes. Be careful of what you cut and/or replace with aftermarket parts. I whittled mine down a bunch, with stock front suspension, and no obvious visual cutting of sheet-metal.

This is all steel[except hood] and all factory window glass. Hemi, dana, legal S/S cage, etc...... 3185# in the picture.

 

[Norwoodville Speed Shop]

There is an existing thread on this that is full of great ideas. Have to search for it.

 

[daytona kid]

I got a bud with a plasma cutter to cut holes in my front bumper brackets. Going with glass bumper but wanted to leave some strength in the brackets.

 

[Canyon707]

Mike, mine is down to 3183 with me in it. 2980 without me. Running two batteries. no alternator. Always looking to get lighter. The entire front end inc doors and bumper are glass. Lift off hood, I did make some aluminum interior fender wells not hang the air in the engine compartment. Also built a front end pan to push the air smoother past the engine compartment to the ground.
Still working on that though. I would not be interested in chopping up parts to lighten. Getting the weight adjusted is very critical. Changes in weight chage the balancing of the car.

 

[Canyon707]

I saved well over 100 lbs dumping my old drums. Also an alumnium driveshaft.

 

[dvw]

Mike, mine is down to 3183 with me in it. 2980 without me. Running two batteries. no alternator. Always looking to get lighter. The entire front end inc doors and bumper are glass. Lift off hood, I did make some aluminum interior fender wells not hang the air in the engine compartment. Also built a front end pan to push the air smoother past the engine compartment to the ground.
Still working on that though. I would not be interested in chopping up parts to lighten. Getting the weight adjusted is very critical. Changes in weight chage the balancing of the car.

View attachment 354058

These readings show a need to add load to the right rear by at least 90lbs if the driver is in the car.
Doug

 

[dvw]

No Better thread on weight loss than this. Lee is the master of weight reduction.
http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/1353186/1.html
Doug

 

[Canyon707]

These readings show a need to add load to the right rear by at least 90lbs if the driver is in the car.
Doug

Correct this was just a pic out of my car window not the final adjustment. Prior the car adjustments launch would hook right. Now you don't need to even hold the steering wheel on launch. I will see if I have the final picture. I was just showing the weight of the car.

 

[65 3 times]

Awesome car. Looks like you need a rudder at launch not a steering wheel!! Dave

 

[mosquito13]

I used to race motorcycles, weight saving were really apparent. Unsprung weight being the most important to loose. Easiest way to drop weight in most cases was with the driver. Great tech. keep it coming.