Going Lightweight with my 97

kuwait

Member
Mar 31, 2005
194
0
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so i have a 1997 mustang GT and i am looking to lose around 200-250 lbs of weight , i am thinking of removing the passenger seat (cloth) and back passenger seats(cloth) and gutting the trunk , how much would that be worth? and what else should i remove to achive 200-250 lbs loss ? A/C is out of the question since its 42 c today :D
 
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I'd like to take more weight off the front and the mid section rather than taking weight off the back. IMO you need as much weight as you can over those rear wheels.

Look at:
light weight battery, aluminum driveshaft, aluminum flywheel, taking out the spare tire, light weight seats, removing rear seats. That should net you ~100 lbs.

200lbs will require removing some bigger components.
 
Remove rear seats, remove passenger seat, remove front swaybar, remove spare + jack, remove stock driveshaft and install aluminum driveshaft, replace current pulleys with a set of Steeda Underdrive pulleys, remove rear wing, remove dogbone from above rear differential. This is good for about 150lbs +/-
 
So here is the current list:
Lightweight battery ( no idea how much mine weight )
Alum. Drive shaft ( 6 lbs )
No spare/jack (32 lbs) already have done.
remove back seats (cloth) (53 lbs)
remove Passenger seat ( no idea )
take heat insulation from under hood. ( ??? )
Gut the trunk. ( not sure... 5-6 lb? )
Spoiler ( 8lb )
underdrive pullies. (???) already have done.
Removing Dogbone. (8)
Front wheel covers (3) mine are already shreded so.... off they go

so.. i am looking at...
116 , so what else to take off? :)
 
Instead of a lightweight battery up front how about helping yourself out with more weight in the rear and relocate the battery while your at it? Seems like a good route to change weight displacement and then go to the leightweight battery if you still wanted to.
 
An alum DS will save a couple pounds, but is it really worth it? And before you go after me for having one, know that I didn't install it...came with the car.
As far as an alum flywheel - it's rotational weight - that is why people swap the cast iron stocker for the lighter (billet steel or alum). But you'll lose that load up of the engine with a lighter flywheel - you'll have to rev a bit more to get the car moving.
I'd look at lighter wheels. Some of the nicest wheels on the market are way friggin heavy. When you reduce the UNSPRUNG weight, you will really see the benefit.
 
How much do light weight battery's cost?

Bought my 17lb battery for ~$175 when my oem battery was starting to go out. Bought a bracket to hold it for another $20. The OEM battery is 36lbs. Not a huge difference in weight but taking 20lbs off is always a good thing I figure.

Braille Battery USA - B2317RP

The aluminum driveshaft and aluminum flywheel requires a little more revving but I don't mind.

+1 for more lettuce. You take off 50lbs and you will be in the range you want :p :nice:
 
Manual doors and seats are good for a few pounds, Im 92% sure you can use a fox seat track with your original seat. If you dont mind cutting on yout car you can go after the under hood and decklid webbing with a hole saw or cut off wheel.
 
An alum DS will save a couple pounds, but is it really worth it? And before you go after me for having one, know that I didn't install it...came with the car.
As far as an alum flywheel - it's rotational weight - that is why people swap the cast iron stocker for the lighter (billet steel or alum). But you'll lose that load up of the engine with a lighter flywheel - you'll have to rev a bit more to get the car moving.
I'd look at lighter wheels. Some of the nicest wheels on the market are way friggin heavy. When you reduce the UNSPRUNG weight, you will really see the benefit.

^^This. I've always heard 100 pounds of sprung, or 10 pounds of unsprung weight equals a tenth in the 1/4. Although I think I remember a member on here running the math a while back that it actually takes closer to 30 pounds unsprung weight to make as much difference as 100 pounds sprung weight.

I know I can tell a very noticeable difference with my car between the 17x9 chrome Cobra Rs and the stock 17x8 aluminum split-spokes, although there's only about 40 pounds total difference between the wheel/tire sets.