Serious lightening the car suggestions thread..

Pokageek

Active Member
Jun 10, 2005
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MA, USA
Mustangless said:
http://www.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=660756

might not be easy, but it should take some weight off.

After reading this thread, this guy lightened his car by 1300+# using carbon fiber. A few questions. First, can carbon fiber be painted? Second, exactly how much will fiberglass body parts lighten the car?

Hood?
Doors?
Trunk lid?
Front Fenders?

Last, WHO makes this stuff including the trunk lid? And I have already heard about ebay being carapola so I won't use them..

Any other suggestions for lightening besides, 25# vert fw, spare/ jack, strut twr brc, a/c delete, smog delete, cat delete, dog bone? Thanks.
 
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My car is pretty light at around 3200. Aluminum parts got me there. Engine (Heads, Pulleys, etc.), Suspension (control arms, dog bone, Tubular K-Member), Drivetrain (flywheel, driveshaft, etc.). I still have A/C, power steering and the spare. I may find more ways to lose weight. Not interested in Carbon Fiber body parts and I don't think they can be painted all that well.
 
carbon fibers way to expensive anyway.

sound deadening under the carpets
smog pump and lines
a/c and lines
power steering and lines
washer fluid pump/resevior
inner plastic fenders
rear seats
trunk lining
aluminum stuff (driveshaft, heads, flywheel, crank, etc)
tubular k-member
i could go on for a while....

don't forget not everything is just dropping weight, its also transfering weight like a battery in the trunk will help out a lot more than in the front.

IIRC 95snoozer did tons of weight saving on his car, haven't seen him around in a while though

here's a very helpful site
http://users.adelphia.net/~mustang-92/Weight Reduction.htm
 
Good stuff. In my o - the car has to be enjoyable as well. I mean, I prefer to have a shifter [edit]knoB rather than save the weight, lol. you guys get me point. I left the 25# weight in cuz it do shake. or at least I notice it.
 
FWIW, i weighed my car at the scale at Englishtown and it was 3360 with me in it, and i weight 150 lbs even (well i haven't weighed myself since ive been at school, and ive drank a LOT of beer)....anyway, that puts the car at 3210. To get there i deleted the entire a/c system, swapped the stock h-pipe for an o/r h-pipe which is a considerable amount of weight, i took out the spare, jack, and trunk mat, i have a lighter fiberglass hood than stock, my Jegs seats are quite a bit lighter than the stockers also....this was before i got my new wheels and tires though, so i'd expect to gain about 5 lbs per front tire/wheel, and prob about 8-10 lbs for each of the rears. Good luck bud, it will help out a lot!:nice:
 
that guy was thinking about selling hoods and trunks, doors, etc. but I guess there's a carbon fiber shortage thanks to airbus and boeing making their super light liners.


Wow, didn't know that..I thought he meant a shortage of his own personal stock bcause that didn't seem possible. I would have bought the trunk lid to save 25 #..anything else would have been too much $$...Too bad I cant find a fg trunk lid for our cars anywhere ..anyone else?:shrug:
 
The Red blur is right. there is a shortage once again, making carbon fiber all that much more expensive. Expect to pay premium dollar for ANYTHING made out of Carbon Fiber. My "import" car friends are finding that out the hard way...lol.

As said the rear seat delete in coupes (not verts) is a very nice weight saver. Plus no extra fat azzes in the back seat weighing ya down. But Depending on your engine/exhaust combo.... Be prepared to wear earplugs if you don't have sound deadening.... (keep em in the ash tray for long trips).
 
Strange... most sources i have read have said the upper part of the rear seat only weighs some 10 to 15 lbs. on a vert. I thought this was because of the Vert not having the metal brace/frame for the upper of the seat. Maybe someone can chime in.

I never did weigh my rear seat, All i remember was it was HEAVY!!! (but i am a small guy too...lol)
 
Strange... most sources i have read have said the upper part of the rear seat only weighs some 10 to 15 lbs. on a vert. I thought this was because of the Vert not having the metal brace/frame for the upper of the seat. Maybe someone can chime in.

I never did weigh my rear seat, All i remember was it was HEAVY!!! (but i am a small guy too...lol)

Yes but you have an upper and a lower. I think it was 38 pounds on my scale..
 
I think some performance stuff adds weight and off sets much of the gains.

in my case:

Sub frame Connectors
Supercharger
Dart Block
Larger Radiator, increasing fluid capacity also
Braided fuel lines, twin pumps etc.
Aftermarket guages
Tremac TKO
Lakewood Bell
Driveshaft Loop