Weight savings

[turbows6]

Thought I'd post a few weight savings tips and amounts. Didn't include anything not street legal or requiring "gutting" interior. Some mods everybody knows, some not so commonly known. Figured weight starting at 3500 (TTA with 1/2 tank gas)

Easy ones, (easy to switch back to stock and not too invasive)

Stock starter to LT1 starter ~ 12#
Remove spare tire and jack ~ 35#
Get spare Lexan tops ~ 20#
Remove rear seat, belts, and cargo cover ~ 40#
Total - 107# TTA weight to ~ 3393#

More invasive (not stock appearing/effects driving)

Switch to 97-02 Camaro manual front seats ~40#
Use early 4 cylinder aluminum front impact bar ~10# (nose weight)
Aftermarket wheels (Pro Stars, etc.) ~30# (rotating weight)
Remove front sway bar ~22#
Stock type fiberglass hood (bolt on) ~30#
Spohn K member (no coilover conversion) ~35#
Wilwood street brakes front/rear ~40#
Total - 207# TTA weight to ~ 3186#

Very invasive

Remove all AC components ~35#
Manual steering box/Champion alternator only setup ~25# (free HP added)
Front runner wheel/tire reduction over street tire ~30#
Remove carpet padding and sound insulation ~10#
Total - 100# TTA weight to 3086#

With some non street legal changes I think it would be very possible to get a TTA to weigh 29xx (no catback, no center console drops about 100#s)

 

[V8Killer]

Good list. Don't forget that heavy stock rear spoiler/wing. Don't know the exact weight difference but the fiberglass one weighs next to nothing. My car weighed in @ 3,390 lbs. No jack or spare, no front bar, mini starter, fiberglass rear wing. More stuff to come

 

[Quiky One]

Stock spoiler=28 pounds
Hawks Fiberglass=14.5 pounds

Difference is 13.5 pounds.

Jason

 

[turbows6]

I should have mentioned that I didn't figure things that take weight from the rear of the car because it hurts traction.

List of ill advised ways to lighten further.
**note these were the amounts I read from thirdgen.org**

Open downpipe only (no catback or mid pipe) ~70# (loud, not street legal)
Lighten doors / cut out impact bars ~40# (Dangerous without cage)
No rear impact bar ~20# (Dangerous, hurts weight bias)
Lexan rear hatch and fiberglass wing ~60# (hurts weight bias)
Remove center console (aftermarket shifter/no e-brake) 20#
Use light weight racing battery ~20#

Total reduction 230# TTA weight to 2856

In my opinion that means that the lightest you could get a TTA without "gutting and hacking" the car would be around 2850# maybe 2799.99# if you used all chrome molly suspension/chassis parts instead of mild steel.

FWIW according to Calculators that would take an 11.50 car to 10.7x
FWIW according to Calculators 11.50 would be 11.0x with only street legal mods

 

[V8Killer]

Ok, so now you go faster than 11.50 (well our track anyway) & you need a 6 point bar. How much is that going to add? Anybody already know?

 

[turbows6]

That's the kicker, you'll probably add some weight back into a faster car with a roll bar and subframe connectors. A 6 point mild steel roll bar doesn't add much weight, but it would probably put about 50 pounds back in. Add some more with subframe connectors.

One good thing about getting weight off the front of the car is that it reduces stress on the unibody from launching and helps weight bias. Just the aluminum front impact bar and mounting the battery in the back takes about 60 pounds from in front of the front wheels

 

[V8Killer]

My T has a 6 pt. mild steel bar in it & it weighs about 3,200 lbs w/o me in it, but it took quite a bit of "work" to get it there (glass hood, no a/c, removed all the sound deadner, Weld wheels, race seats). I could take another 100-150 lbs off it, but the money I would have to spend would'nt make worth while. I.E. fiberglass bumpers, mini starter, alum. rad. etc.
I'm going to focus on the TTA this year, if I can get my T to run 11.8's w/a stock turbo/set-up, then the TTA should run 11.6's at the same weight?? I'm going to try and find out anyway

 

[TT/Ameasap]

Thread resurrection!
Front Plastic reinforcement IIRC 5# of front end weight
Fog lights #?
Aluminum drive shaft #?
I ran many mid 11 second passes without a turbo bracket. #?
Most people are running a SS MAF and uppipe. Aluminum is way lighter. #?
What about those Mini alternators?
Anyone running a smaller belt bypassing the A/C?