Weight reduction: Running out of ideas.

[68/70Vette]

Originally Posted by mrvette

Mike, I understand your reluctance to deal with the dash, but I tricked mine into being really easy to deal with.....

then I got tired of all them stupid bulbs....I bought a 4 pin molex plug at Rat Shack, and wired all the bulbs to it, with just ONE gray wire feeding about 60 bulbs in the back light, same for center console, but my center gauges are not stock either....I tied both pods together with a jumper wire so only one ground spade is used, I can drop the cover/column, 6 phillips screws and have that whole assy in my hand in less than ten minits....nice and clean and not have 60 light bulbs hanging in the wiring harness, I just BET the UAW loved dealing with that dash 40 years ago, hear the cussing NOW@!!~
...

Ditto: All my tach and speedo bulbs feed off of a common harness. Makes it SOOO much easier to replace the panels.

[68/70Vette]

You haven't identified all the weight reducing things you've done .. I've always been interested in you weight reduction postings.

Deleting the Doug Nash tranny for 20 pounds may not be a good idea if you have a lot of HP. BTW, Doug Nash sold out to Richmond and the Richmond version of Doug's 5 speed is only rated at 450 ft-lbs. Upon discovering this I switched to a Tremac T-600 and a new Tom's Diff 3.73:1 rear end. The Tremac is rated at 600 ft-lbs. I think the Doug Nash was rated at about 600 ft-lbs.

I've gotten rid of the gross cast iron piece that mates the steering wheel column to the window frame. I did this in conjunction with installing a Hydroboost (aka Hydrobeast). This is the highwater mark of the most difficult replacement thing I've done on a C3. I used the opportunity to rebuild and renew the entire clutch and brake foot pedal assembly.

Tom' Diff was going to offer the diff casting in aluminum. As far as I know, this has never happened after all these years and also after Tom has spend 100,000's of dollars on this
What about the bumper support brackets and bolts? Have you recreated these in aluminum and used aluminum/titanium bolts?

Getting rid of the pop up headlights, a al Le Mans style saves some weight.

I've removed my spare tire tubs, which creates a big air drag...the under area after the rear suspension becomes an like a big cookie cutter. I'm planning on covering this area with an aluminum sheet. I need to have an aluminum bulkhead created just after the rear axles to do this. So far, for the last two weeks, I've been too busy to head off to a machine shop to have this bracket created in aluminum. It's a pisser when you're spending so much time working that you don't have time to spend money!!

Have you thought about replacing the lead acid battery with a Lithium ion battery? You'll need to modify the voltage regulator on the alternator slightly. You'll really have to do this.

If you were a Microsoft/Apple billionaire you wouldn't be asking us for weight savings ideas!!!!! There gets to a point where after all the low hanging fruit, weight savings gets exponentially expensive. Hmmm.. a balloon of helium in the rear storage compartment might save a pound.

[Kid Vette]

Originally Posted by 69427

Nothing terribly special. It's basically just an L36 with a little more cam, carb, valve size, and less cast iron. The orange paint on the timing cover jumps out enough to make the engine look completely stock in the car. So far I haven't had anyone look at the engine compartment and notice anything out of the ordinary.

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Is that a GM ZL-1 block?

[TimAT]

Yep, that's a ZL-1 block.

The problem is I can't get him far enough away from it for long enough.

[427Swede]

Change rear window to lexan (plastic)? Should shave a pound or two.

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by 68/70Vette

If you were a Microsoft/Apple billionaire you wouldn't be asking us for weight savings ideas!!!!! There gets to a point where after all the low hanging fruit, weight savings gets exponentially expensive. Hmmm.. a balloon of helium in the rear storage compartment might save a pound.

I had suggested that some time ago, but methinks he thinks it stinks....

[rtj]

Fixed headlights.

Heater box fan assembly. It is heavier than you think.

Door panels.

Carpet.

Radio.

Factory gage cluster.

[rtj]

Some one makes a cf hood. It was posted here or one of the other forums.

[rtj]

The factory dash and Gage's are heavy. I'm looking for a fiberglass replacement
A gen 2 Camaro fg dash is 4 lbs.

[kwplot34]

Originally Posted by TimAT

Yep, that's a ZL-1 block.

The problem is I can't get him far enough away from it for long enough.

Hey mike goes up to nebraska or some state up north quite often, for several days at a time