HELP! My car weighs 3620 lbs. Put it on a diet!!!

astronut1885

astronut1885

Founding Member
Jan 31, 2002
1,899
4
39
Assonet, MA
#1
Hey guys. I was at my mechanics junk yard today, and we put the car on the scale for the first time. It weighed in at 3620 lbs :( . The scale is accurate to the pound, so this means my car is overweight :bang: . I am going to remove the six layers of rear insulation in the hatch, and the hood liner is already out, but I need more ways to kill weight. The only added weight above stock is the subframes and strut tower brace (all other mods are in sig, but they were swap outs). I want to keep my AC, spare tire and smog pump (even though it's bypassed, I still need it every other year). If there are any other areas I can shed some pounds, let me know. This things gotta get lighter. :banana:

Oh yeah- The reason I was there is because one of my U joints let go on the stock driveshaft. I am going to be adding an aluminum DS as soon as I can get one. For now I just have to listen to the old one rattle. :mad:
 

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#2
Convert it from a GT to an LX, that's around 50 pounds. Replace the front carpet, the factory carpet weighs a good bit more than aftermarket. Do a rear seat delete. Get lightweight front seats. Flaming River manual rack, coil overs, light weight K member. Aluminum block, cylinder heads and driveshaft. Loose the quad shocks and dogbone. Remove the rear spoiler and body side moldings. Fiberglass hood and rear hatch. Loose the hatch cylinders. Manual windows and door locks. Aluminum radiator etc...
 
#3
Woah. I'm not going that light weight. I am talking minor tricks like taking out the hatch padding and such. I just want to scrap a few pounds off the car. It's a daily driver, and I can't afford a new block or suspension mods. I already just replaced the springs with progressive rate springs.
 
#4
Were you in the car, and do you weigh about 400 lbs.?

I'd try another scale before I went crazy. I know weights can vary with options, but a Fox body even with all the options shouldn't weigh that much - it's not a vert is it?
 
#5
Nope, the car weighed 3620 alone. It's a hatchback GT, but it has alot of sound deadening material in it, along with every option and stock component including smog and AC. The scale is a State regulated and calibrated unit, so it's accurate. We did it three times.
 
#9
well, it has the spare tire, my school books (maybe worth 90-100 lbs) in it, but not much else. At some point, a previous owner put a lot (6-7 layers) of sound deadening mats in the hatch, so I imagine there may be more elsewhere. Also, the entire chassis and undercarriage has been rust proofed with some kind of rubberized coating, don't know how much that weighs.
 
#11
I just called my mechanic, he said the scale was zeroed, so that is what my car weighed at the time. Like I said, it is a state regulated scale for calculating payments for scrap, and it's a top notch unit. I am gonna do some serious cleaning out over the next few days, once the weather improves, and then reweigh it. Believe me, we were both disgusted by the numbers.
 
#14
Actually, he's the manager of one of the biggest salvage yards in my area. He's been racing Mustangs for twenty years, and he's the reason I'm into them. He's a family friend, and I have no reason to doubt him. He's built all three of my stangs with me.
 
#15
I don't doubt him; but I'd still have it weighed on another scale. The bigger scales are great at weights when 30-80000 lb trucks roll in and out with scrap. The smaller the weight, the more prone they are to being inaccurate. Also, gas weighs 7-8 lbs/gallon, so note your tank level so you can make adjustments as you keep weighing. 70-100 lb difference depending on how much fuel is in the tank.
 
#17
yeah definitely get it wieghed somwhere else to double check it. Mr Yount knows his $hit and i will varify he is right about the scale with very high wieghts. that scale probably hasnt seen 3000 pounds since it was new....i had a car on a scale at Airborne Express. (shipping company) scale was good for 5000 punds, but rarely seenover 2-300. car went on (barely) and was wayyy of. also a state calibrated and accurate scale to get costs of big shipping items. i hopped on, wieghed me perfect. were just saying at least double check
 
#19
Get a fiberglass hood. That should save you some weight and balance the car out a bit better. Check under the rug and take any sound deadening under there. While you are at it take out your stereo because that will be useless then too. Other than that there is not too much to do. You can get a fiberglass rear hatch but mustangs have enough tracion problems in the rear. I am not sure why your car is so heavy. Sound deadener in the doors maybe?
Kevin
 
#20
that hard rubber crap that is under your car i think was put on if you lived in area where there was snow alot or by the beach. My hatch came from hawaii and i have that crap all undernearth my car, i think it was put on so the salt in water/sand didnt rust anything up...its really annoying though. When I put my subframes on, I had to grind away some of that stuff in order to get the weld on. that stuff probably weighs a good 40-50lbs. It's all over my tank too, some of it was splattered on my driveshaft. =\
 
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