The Elephant In The Room: unloading the load from a B-body.

[fullmetaljacket]

I bought a new replacement tank for my Belvedere. It weighs 21 pounds empty. It is powder coated and that weight does not include the sender or the filler neck. My old tank has so much old gas and crud in it that I didn't bother weighing it.

The one thing I still don't trust is the single factory tank mounting strap. Makes me nervous that a single strap, now made of stainless can hold all those Lbs of fuel and tank up against the floor. Most other models and makes have two straps so I plan to add a second strap that will pretty much ride along the same route of the single strap as a supporting back up.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Fuel line. Now here was a job from hell in hell, but the results were heavenly.
More soon when I get some images.

 

[Badvert65]

I agree with you concerning the single strap to hold the tank in. That's an additional 90 pounds when the tank is full. I'll have to see what it would take to add a second strap.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

I agree with you concerning the single strap to hold the tank in. That's an additional 90 pounds when the tank is full. I'll have to see what it would take to add a second strap.

I'm going to make an exact copy of the existing strap in T-6061 aluminum to ride on top that existing strap. It will attach differently at two points.

 

[fourgearsavoy]

Trimmed about 40 pounds off the Savoy with new brakes.
Gus

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Trimmed about 40 pounds off the Savoy with new brakes.
Gus

View attachment 1574878

Gus.
Were your old brakes factory disc's or factory drums?

 

[padam]

2 lb 7oz Undercoating and dirt removed from front suspension and steering parts during front end rebuild.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

2 lb 7oz Undercoating and dirt removed from front suspension and steering parts during front end rebuild. View attachment 1574964

A lighter front end is mightier in feeding the rear of the car. Almost 3 Lbs on just the suspension area? Darn good.

 

[padam]

A lighter front end is mightier in feeding the rear of the car. Almost 3 Lbs on just the suspension area? Darn good.

I also think l will leave the disc brake backing plates off.
1 lb 12 oz

 

[fullmetaljacket]

I also think l will leave the disc brake backing plates off.
1 lb 12 oz

I guess that can be done right?
I've never thought much about disc brake setups because I still have drums all around. Yes, they stop great before any haters come on board. LOL.
I heard somewhere from somebody that Chrysler stamped aluminum backing plates or dust shields out of aluminum for the 1968 Hemi Darts and Cuda disc brake systems. Could be folklore and probably not worth trying to find them if it were true.

Actually, the Chrysler Wagner finless drums are the lightest out of the whole line of them at 12 Lbs each compared to the GM aluminum drums at 9 Lbs each. The fins may cool better for a street car, but weigh more, whereas a track car can choose to use the last turnoff and be light on the heat built-up.
I like the fact that in competition, Super Stock eliminators guys would back the tension off on the shoes and free wheel the brakes for less resistance. Nowadays, it seems that aftermarket disc's have come a long way and are both lightweight and resistant to friction.

 

[Badvert65]

FMJ, what size drum brakes are on your car?

 

[fullmetaljacket]

FMJ, what size drum brakes are on your car?

Standard 10-1/2. The dampening spring has since been removed for a small savings.

 

[RemCharger]

Standard 10-1/2.

That's a fair amount of weight scrapped out right there!

 

[fullmetaljacket]

That's a fair amount of weight scrapped out right there!

Yes. The factory drum brakes are lighter than the factory disc brakes, but the aftermarket Wilwood, etc are lighter than the factory drum brakes and most probably not by far. Now that's a loaded answer because I could be wrong and be starting a civil unrest here for saying that. LOL.
I was just a little cheap and the car stops darn good using old school soft shoes from Bendix, Wagner, etc that I just bypassed the disc option.
Believe it or not, I drive this thing really conservatively on these mean streets to keep from having to be in a situation of panic braking amongst the imbeciles out there. My eyes are always peeling away at could-be scenarios and my left foot hovers over the brake pedal like if I'm driving a stick.
In competition, I just coast to the last turnoff while pumping a few times and idle around the bend with cool shoes. No hot footing here from 130+ mph.

 

[RemCharger]

Yes. The factory drum brakes are lighter than the factory disc brakes, but the aftermarket Wilwood, etc are lighter than the factory drum brakes and most probably not by far. Now that's a loaded answer because I could be wrong and be starting a civil unrest here for saying that. LOL.
I was just a little cheap and the car stops darn good using old school soft shoes from Bendix, Wagner, etc that I just bypassed the disc option.
Believe it or not, I drive this thing really conservatively on these mean streets to keep from having to be in a situation of panic braking amongst the imbeciles out there. My eyes are always peeling away at could-be scenarios and my left foot hovers over the brake pedal like if I'm driving a stick.
In competition, I just coast to the last turnoff while pumping a few times and idle around the bend with cool shoes. No hot footing here from 130+ mph.

Sorry I was referring to the 10.5 drums.
Half way there to making 11" drums!

I'm at the 125 arena with 4x 10s. Thinking hard about discs

 

[fourgearsavoy]

Gus.
Were your old brakes factory disc's or factory drums?

They were removed from a 73 Charger parts car. I have my notes at work where I weighed them but it was just under a 40 pound difference. I was shocked when I weighed the new brakes at 17 pounds for rotor,hub,caliper,pads,and bracket. I think the rotor alone on the Charger brakes weighed almost that much.

 

[fourgearsavoy]

Sorry I was referring to the 10.5 drums.
Half way there to making 11" drums!

I'm at the 125 arena with 4x 10s. Thinking hard about discs

I raced my Savoy for years on 10" drums and that was fine unless you get lucky and start going rounds. My home track had a very short shutdown lane so my brakes would get hot and wouldn't stop well after 4-5 120 stops. I have Wilwood Dynalite on the rear and Dynalite Pro now and I'm looking forward to see how it stops at 127.
Gus

 

[Badvert65]

I converted my Belvedere using the 10 1/2 disk brakes from a 75 A-body. The rusty used rotor weighed in at 21.8 pounds. The OE new replacement rotor weigh in at 25 pounds while a new 'drill-slot' rotor weighs in at 24.4 pounds.
I had the drill slot rotor turned down to the max (I think down to 0.94" from 1") and it then weighed 23.7 pounds.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Sorry I was referring to the 10.5 drums.
Half way there to making 11" drums!

I'm at the 125 arena with 4x 10s. Thinking hard about discs

I'm probably speaking from an advantageous and spoiled point of view. A heavier car will be heavy on the brakes whereas a light car will take it all in lightly without a sweat.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

I raced my Savoy for years on 10" drums and that was fine unless you get lucky and start going rounds. My home track had a very short shutdown lane so my brakes would get hot and wouldn't stop well after 4-5 120 stops. I have Wilwood Dynalite on the rear and Dynalite Pro now and I'm looking forward to see how it stops at 127.
Gus

A friend who had a drive to the track, race and then go back home car had Dynalites on his front side. The rotors were not lasting with all that stop and go traffic and then racing rounds in a full interior/radio/heater 3700 Lb Charger. He was clocking mid 11's at ????? mph. They (the rotors)were light in that they were much thinner compared to the regular Dynalites. Am I right?