I feel what drives you man. Everytime I replace any part that is steel I always wonder if it can be replaced in aluminum or something light. I say go for it. Weigh the car at a truckstop to get a "before" weight, do the changes and weigh again. I think that is the only way you can go to know how much weight you save really.
how much weight can this save?
i plan on making one of my 66 fairlanes light as can be for laguna seca type racing...left and right turns, with a stout 302, maybe the fiberglass leafs, but i am looking at crites and just called they say both bumpers weigh 12 pounds together, fender weighs 28 each, and the trunk lid another 28, then oneday get rid of the glass windows and go tearoffs or similar lexan, man i cant wait! what are the weight savings though? what do these parts weigh in metal stock form? anyone know? may sound dumb but i am thinking of designing my own custom aluminum cage from front to rear, not really a cage but stiffness and some added protection.
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.other than that i may drill holes all over the car and fill with bondo for added weight savings! just kidding! hehe!
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but seriously the windows are friggin heavy and on the top of the car which on hard cornering will cause lean. so there you have it my plans...i also would like floating hubs and nascar spindles, and maybe a irs
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.other than that i may drill holes all over the car and fill with bondo for added weight savings! just kidding! hehe!
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but seriously the windows are friggin heavy and on the top of the car which on hard cornering will cause lean. so there you have it my plans...i also would like floating hubs and nascar spindles, and maybe a irs
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I saved about 50 lbs. on my '66 Falcon recently by taking all the suspension parts off the front eand and lightening every single part individually including bolts. I removed the undercoating from under the front fenders and inner wheel wells, and that added up to 12 lbs. alone. Most of the savings came from going to lighter drums, tubular lower A arms, and going to an adjustable strut rod. I also lightened the hubs, backing plates, and spindles. I am going to tackle the inside of the car next. Every ounce counts.
How about inside the doors. All that sound deadening material that is like undercoating (it probably is) and is about 1/8" thick. Thats gotta go!!
f15(my fav fighter)how did you lighten hubs and spindles? and how are tubular lcas lighter? what about the backing plates, how did you lighten them? i will be running 4wdisc but still curious!.. i know why you have alum front rims and steel rear or so it looks!! wish i could run your intake w/ stock hood! thanks
shadow thats one bad ass beautiful heavy car you have! thanks i will start scraping! they raced 'em
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66 FAIRLANE 500 2dr.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: trukstopcowboy on 3/6/06 2:29pm ]</font>
shadow thats one bad ass beautiful heavy car you have! thanks i will start scraping! they raced 'em
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66 FAIRLANE 500 2dr.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: trukstopcowboy on 3/6/06 2:29pm ]</font>
That sounds like an awsome project.
Use Chro-Moly tube for your cage, it can be thinner than DOM due to higher strength. AL would be a major PITA to tie it to the cars chassis.
The O.D. of the hub was turned down in a lathe to the smallest size possible, another bolt pattern was drilled in between the pattern needed to fasten the wheels. The backing plates were drilled full of holes, the spindles had all the un-necessary forging flash removed with a sanding disc. The tubular control arms are a design that I build that are different than most sold. Here is a pic:
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