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

[fullmetaljacket]

Going back to the front, I forgot to mention that if an electric pump out back is replacing the mechanical push rod unit up front on the motor, there's a savings there in that the weight is not necessarily removed, but relocated out back. The actual savings though minimal is the block off plate from Moroso and other manufactures that are stamped out of aluminum. The two fasteners were also replaced with aluminum types.
Did I weigh them, yes, but I can't find the numbers. In actuality, the factory mechanical pump is probably lighter than any electric unit and like I said, the weight is just being transferred rearward. A good thing.

 

[Badvert65]

My mechanical pump weighed 1.3 pounds. The electric pump I am using is 3.5 pounds plus another 0.5 pounds for the regulator. I weighed one of the aluminum block off plates as well, but for some reason, I can't locate the numbers.

 

[malex]

The rear seat went on a diet today. 3Lbs lighter after removing structure on each end of the lower seat and about a hundred holes. It’s all adding up.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

The rear seat went on a diet today. 3Lbs lighter after removing structure on each end of the lower seat and about a hundred holes. It’s all adding up.
View attachment 1578616

View attachment 1578619

View attachment 1578618

Don't let anyone sit back there. One of those shards from the drilling may poke them. LOL.
Lbs given their walking papers. 3 lbs is 3 Lbs.
There's a guy on FABO that fabricated his back seat out of paper mâché and reupholstered to look stock.

 

[padam]

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.

Seeing the gobbets of grease everywhere after rebuilding my front end, I decided to install the dust shields.
I weighed them again after cleaning and painting and they are now about 1 lb 7 oz, so 5oz of dirt, rust and undercoating.

 

[Badvert65]

I saved the rear seat bottom from one of the FWD 80-90's Mopars. It is basically one large piece high density foam rubber with a thin metal frame molded into it so it could be bolted down. It was a molded shape and then covered in upholstery. Granted, it is narrow, but it is firm enough to seat passengers and might weigh in at two pounds. Most of that is the metal frame. I had planned on making something similar for my 65 Belvedere but then decided that the 'Rear Seat Delete' option was lighter than anything I could come up with.

 

[dvw]

available right now, just needs final hone on lifter bores, cylinders and check line bore, deck. Std machine shop procedures. includes screw in freeze plugs, oil galley plugs, distributor bushing, etc, ready to assemble after lite honing..with taxs and shipping it would be close to 8 grand ! this 1 was sold in 2011 and i paid the 2011 price..if u r watching,,THANKS !!

Bill Mitchell Products BMP 088555 – Aluminum Engine Block Wedge Block 10.720 Deck, 4.490 Bore, Billet Caps – Bill Mitchell Products

You might want to read this. Some interesting comments on BMP aluminum blocks. Looks like I would add these fixes if it were me.
Doug
Loose cam bearings and other fun stuff!

 

[stage3]

You might want to read this. Some interesting comments on BMP aluminum blocks. Looks like I would add these fixes if it were me.
Doug
Loose cam bearings and other fun stuff!

THanks! its never easy is it ! after reading that seems all aluminum blocks need xtra attention. cars mostly on the street so using sealer on the head gaskets and loctite on the cam bearings is a must . what was interesting also was the fact u can run higher compression ratio's on pump gas without detonation. i will also be picking up a mopar iron Mega block next week that turned up locally , bore is at 4.360. the aluminum block is a beautiful piece but if i cant get it all set up right to where i wont have to pull it out every other month to fix leaks then i will have a "door number 2" option.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

You might want to read this. Some interesting comments on BMP aluminum blocks. Looks like I would add these fixes if it were me.
Doug
Loose cam bearings and other fun stuff!

Geeez. What a Pandora's box.
In years past, I was planning on having my motor's mounting bosses shaved off for a few pounds savings being that I was going to run a front motor plate, but figured out not to disturb the side walls configuration and ribbing out of concerns for the blocks strength. And this is a stock factory block mind you, not a Mega or World where there have been shavings and savings of a fair amount of weight.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Using this image yet again for another example. One can note that the battery is/was a Braile lightweight version that weighed only 21 Lbs. It had replaced a 55 Lb wet cell truck group 27 battery before that.
The irony was that with all of its weightlessness, this Braile battery ended up weighing in on my patience whenever the winter months came in. For its size, it had a good CCA rating, decent reserve but it didn't like at all sitting dormant for just a few weeks or more without a charge before its cells started to weaken and the whole thing was toast. I went through two batterie$ before ditching it in favor of an old fashioned wet cell Diehard Legend battery that weighed 45 Lbs.
At least the weight was reintroduced to where it makes the best of it. Call it what you may, but in reality, it is a ballast box with a charge.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

And while we're on the battery, the old home made battery tray itself was steel and weighed 7-1/2 Lbs. The aluminum version now is 2 Lbs.
5-1/2 Lbs removed on the tray and 10 Lbs on the battery for a 15 -1/2 Lbs savings which now brings me almost to where I was at with the Braile. This stuff is all crazy. LOL.

 

[fourgearsavoy]

I need to find another 35 pounds to offset the monkey bars I'm installing to make my car legal and the wife happy.

 

[malex]

I need to find another 35 pounds to offset the monkey bars I'm installing to make my car legal and the wife happy.

I found 22 lbs in the interior and I know where there’s 3 more lbs, which will be coming out tomorrow. And I didn’t think I’d find any.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

I need to find another 35 pounds to offset the monkey bars I'm installing to make my car legal and the wife happy.

Make the wife happy and DON'T monkey around with your life. You'll find the 35 Lbs somewhere.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

I found 22 lbs in the interior and I know where there’s 3 more lbs, which will be coming out tomorrow. And I didn’t think I’d find any.

View attachment 1579563
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AAAAAHHH, there is weight out there in them hills. The great thing about those doors is that after all is said and done, the interior panels go back on and nothing ever happened. LOL.

I'm not in front of my records, but here goes.
Now if you make those doors light enough and find yourself a pair of aluminum door hinges, there's another 7 Lbs or so right there.

Now if you could fabricate the door glass channel bridge out of aluminum, there's another 2 Lbs or so right there.

Now if the bolts holding all the hardware on the doors could somehow morph into aluminum T-2024 there might be a 1/4 Lb right there.

 

[fourgearsavoy]

Make the wife happy and DON'T monkey around with your life. You'll find the 35 Lbs somewhere.

I rarely ever use my rear window cranks. Maybe remove the regulators and fix the glass in the up position will shed a few pounds.

 

[Badvert65]

My 65 Belvedere front door window regulator weighed 5 pounds, with bolts (per door). The rear window regulators weighed 4.6 pounds, with bolts (per side).

 

[malex]

I rarely ever use my rear window cranks. Maybe remove the regulators and fix the glass in the up position will shed a few pounds.

I was looking at that a couple days ago and it would be very easy.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

This is just my opinion as far as design, looks and function are concerned.

Gus's car with its flat hood looks more like a hot STREET wedge or a steel nosed Max Wedge car where a back seat and window regulators could have the look of operational use, so it could get away with a functioning seat and regulated quarter window. Whereas Malex's car, with its Hemi snout looks more like a factory lightweight race car where a back seat and functioning rear quarter window would be odd.
Malex's car stands to have an advantage with the weight loss and not be in question.
Gus's car can also have the weight loss and would be more sneaky about it.
Obviously, it's totally up to the owners.

It goes without saying that mine are fixed with Lexan without the reg's and it is light.
There are a few options to choose from. Either use the existing original 3/16 quarter glass and loose the regulators and just a few pounds or the factory race 1/8 Corning glass for a slightly additional weight savings. Last but definitely the least is the Anti-mar coated Lexan for the lightest.

 

[malex]

This is just my opinion as far as design, looks and function are concerned.

Gus's car with its flat hood looks more like a hot STREET wedge or a steel nosed Max Wedge car where a back seat and window regulators could have the look of operational use, so it could get away with a functioning seat and regulated quarter window. Whereas Malex's car, with its Hemi snout looks more like a factory lightweight race car where a back seat and functioning rear quarter window would be odd.
Malex's car stands to have an advantage with the weight loss and not be in question.
Gus's car can also have the weight loss and would be more sneaky about it.
Obviously, it's totally up to the owners.

It goes without saying that mine are fixed with Lexan without the reg's and it is light.
There are a few options to choose from. Either use the existing original 3/16 quarter glass and loose the regulators and just a few pounds or the factory race 1/8 Corning glass for a slightly additional weight savings. Last but definitely the least is the Anti-mar coated Lexan for the lightest.

Well another day and 3 more lbs came off the old Plymouth. That’s about it, there’s no more getting to be got. That is unless I want to start pulling out window regs, seats and glass. That’s not part of the plan though. My car is legal to go 10.00, that is all I want out of it. It’s been at that point for a few years now. I’ve removed 75 lbs of weight this off season now and with a fresh motor next season I’m sure the 9’s will become an issue even with the full interior. With the new addition of the electric shift however, I’ll preset the shift RPM during elimination so that I stay on the safe side of 10.00.

The interior is going back together. And a look behind door #2

FMJ touched on the Plymouth looking like a lightweight on the outside and that’s true with the Super Stock looking grill. As well there will be the 3” Hemi scoop new to the look in ‘24. But certainly not the inside though. It’s all about what I like.

The same holds true for the Dart and it would have been easy to make it a clone L023. But it’s a one man operation here and what I like is what you see. LOL.
Besides, I doubt that Houdini couldn’t get that rear seat back out of there.