weight watchers..

**walt's 98 ta** · 12-23-2008, 11:41 AM

Ok, so it's not as "sexy" as power adders, and it's definately not as cool as horse power BUT The fact of the matter is that a lighter car will out race, out handel, and be more efficient than a similarilly powered car. So how can we illiminate some un necessary weight? obvious ones first

~spare tire
~full tank of gas!? not necessary
~floor mats
~back seats
~ excess plastic interior
~yourself (go on a diet) j/k

So now your getting better ET's, better fuel economy, and it was all FREE!!!
Why is this not mentioned more often? Correct me if i'm mistaken but i once read that for every 100lbs you shed off a car it equates to aprox 1/10 of a second decrease in quarter mile time. Above and beyond all this your making life easier on your drive train and suspension. (god knows we need that for the 10 bolt rears and a-4 trans).

Anyone remember the 1993 (yes I'm going to say it) mustang notch back?? these were basically a bare bones car with the 5.0 motor, but they were faster than all the gt's all the lx's and whatever else they made due to being lighter. No ground effects, no rear spolier, no hatch back, etc etc.

Here's my question: has anyone looked into the fomula's being the fastest of the trans am's for this same reason? No raised rear spoiler, no (albeit bad ass) raised hood, no larger/ heavier sway bars etc etc. Somehting to consider IMO

**Boomer Sooner** · 12-23-2008, 01:25 PM

dont forget the windshield wipers, rear view mirrors and antennae(sp?).

**TransAm11973** · 12-23-2008, 02:02 PM

dont forget the windows, radio, ac, heater core, carpet, seatbelts, driveshaft, valve covers, shift knob, and the quarter panels

**walt's 98 ta** · 12-23-2008, 02:49 PM

Let's stay realistic here. I don't know about your local track but mine requires certain body panels being present and accounted for...

**walt's 98 ta** · 12-23-2008, 02:55 PM

Now if your talking removing glass to replace with lexan, metal panels with fiber and so on thats one thing but somethitng tells me the average rodder isn't going to be quite that... shall we say obsessed. I'm appealing more to the average joe, who actually drives his car to the track and on the street. Trailer queens are a whole different story..

**TransAm11973** · 12-23-2008, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by TransAm11973

dont forget the windows, radio, ac, heater core, carpet, seatbelts, driveshaft, valve covers, shift knob, and the quarter panels

i was just joking hence the seat belts, driveshaft, valve covers etc hahha

**JoshieDoom** · 12-24-2008, 03:16 AM

Anyone deleted the bumper fillers? I was thinking about doing that...

**walt's 98 ta** · 12-24-2008, 05:48 AM

do you mean the foam inserts? behind the facia? or the actual aluminum bumper?

**walt's 98 ta** · 12-24-2008, 05:55 AM

I am thinking about "boring" out the inner doors (behind the plastic facia)
Maybe looking for some radio speakers that dont have honking huge (read heavy) magnets.
There's things you can do whithout compromising your rides looks or integrity.
~upgraded drilled/slotted rotors.
~lower washer fluid level (hey every little bit adds up)

Any ideas? anyone have any sucess actually shedding significant weight? I'm a personal trainer by profession so I like my cars lean like my woman.

**Numba1TA** · 12-24-2008, 07:10 AM

Their are aftermarket suspension mods that can help shed alot of weight over the stock equipment

**JoshieDoom** · 12-24-2008, 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by walt's 98 ta

do you mean the foam inserts? behind the facia? or the actual aluminum bumper?

The plastic fillers.

**egod** · 12-24-2008, 08:37 AM

I could swear this was a thread once before

**walt's 98 ta** · 12-24-2008, 08:39 AM

I'm figuring with just the stuff aformentioned, one could teoretically loose about 200 lbs easy. that's abut 2/10th of the time slip. /maybe another year or two on the 10 bolt, or A-4 and almost certainly 1-5 mpg of gas. IMO

**walt's 98 ta** · 12-24-2008, 08:43 AM

I'm new (recently) was a member about 10 years ago, so if i missed some things you'll have to excuse me. It bears repeating though IMO. Such an under rated "mod"

**Johns00Z28** · 12-24-2008, 08:54 AM

Delete the AC, front sway bar, rear seats, spare tire and front bumper support. Tubular K-member, a-arms, coilovers etc.

**walt's 98 ta** · 12-24-2008, 09:12 AM

Now we're talking, that sounds like aprox 500 lbs. This might yank the front tire off the ground slightly with stock internals. and just maybe you won't blow the pinion out the differential. lol, it's always something

**JoshieDoom** · 12-24-2008, 09:13 AM

Ive thought of deleting the bumper inserts but mine is a DD and im sure a wreck would screw shit all up. Anybody done the bumper insert delete?

**hutch1999** · 12-24-2008, 10:28 AM

hire a 95lb girl to race your car.

**0verkill** · 12-24-2008, 11:05 AM

you could swap out the stock frount seats out with a liter race seat.

**stevenm357** · 12-27-2008, 05:25 AM

no offence dude.. but your off the deeeeep end.. there is a thread here with the weight of virtually everything listed. .... if you want a stripped down drag car buy a damn camaro with a hard top. and take out everything ... and i mean everything... no power windows, adjustable seats.

some stuff that doesn't require a lobotomy to drive it daily... do you really want to go without AC.... the whole system saves you some 40 some pounds.

Relocate the battery to left rear helps transfer of weight. I live in twisties and drive the hell outta my car. that's why i have strano springs ( about 5 pounds lighter EACH than stock) and his sway bars which are hollow and stiffer.