Weight loss for C3's

Sadistic

Der Bismarck
Joined
Mar 25, 2008
Messages
222
Location
Palm Bay, Florida
One of the most rewarding mods on my personal C3 have involved removing weight. We all know that weight loss improves every aspect of the car's performance. I will list the areas that I have addressed with approximate weight savings. The great thing about C3's is that they are relatively light, considering all the cast iron used and because there is so much cast iron, there are lots of opportunities to remove weight. I also added some weight in areas and will place a + sign for those. In these areas, the added performance was worth the extra weight.

composite rear spring - minus 30 lbs
aluminum flywheel - minus 19 lbs
ultra lightweight starter - minus 17 lbs
TKO600 5 speed transmission - +25 pounds (they don't tell you that at Keisler but I weighed it vs. the M21)
carbon fiber race seats - minus 20lbs each
voltphreaks battery - minus 40 lbs
hydratech hydroboost - + 20 lbs? (just guessing but well worth the braking improvement)
Steeroids rack and pinion - minus 14 pounds
aluminum heads - minus 75 lbs plus they add about 75hp
aluminum master cylinder - minus 5 pounds
remove spare tire - minus 40 lbs
brake system (includes titanium rotors, aluminum calipers) - minus about 100 pounds (these are not on the car yet but will be soon)
racing L88 headlights - minus 5 lbs? (just guessing)
Stahl headers - minus 30 lbs over exhaust manifolds (guessing again) and another 25 lbs or so without inserts
aluminum upper a arms - minus 8 lbs
aluminum water pump - minus 10 lbs
removed heater core and related hoses as well as expansion tank - remember that these things hold water, which is heavy - minus 7 lbs

gross weight reduction = 468 lbs
gross weight addition = 45 lbs
total net weight loss = approximately 423 lbs
 
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Light weight front end support, no front headlights, doors completely gutted, no windshield wiper crap, no interior.

And along with reducing weight you should also bring the heavier parts towards the center of the car like the gas tank for example.
 
Light weight front end support, no front headlights, doors completely gutted, no windshield wiper crap, no interior.

And along with reducing weight you should also bring the heavier parts towards the center of the car like the gas tank for example.

I think he's keeping his car streetable.

What about aluminum radiator?
 
Smokin BBC, you are correct about keeping the car streetable as well as the aluminum radiator. I'm not sure how much lighter the radiator is so I did not list it. As far as gutting the doors, etc. I am not going to do anything like that because I want it to look nice inside and be comfortable. One other area that I hope to explore is to switch over to lexan glass, especially the back window, which is an easy switch.
Smokey, I have not weighed it yet but will when it is finished. I am hoping to get it below 3000 lbs.
 
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You forgot alloy wheels, aluminum intake manifold, dropping the vacuum resevoir/ bumper support (-50lbs) & removing the power antenna motor.
 
Corvette weight reduction.

1. Removed front vacuum bar 31 pounds
2. Removed rubber plate behind bumper 13 pounds
3. Cutout steel behind license 5 pounds
4. Replaced brass radiator 31 pounds with aluminum 19 pounds net 12 pounds.
5. Aluminum heads save 44 pounds. SB
6. Remove A/C compressor 50 pounds
7. Aluminum intake 15 pounds
8. Aluminum driveshaft 10 pounds
9. Remove spare 40 pounds
10. Aluminum water pump 8 pounds
11. Aluminum calipers 40 pounds
12. Fiberglass spring 30 pounds
13. Seats 30 pounds
14. Aluminum wheels 20 pounds
15. Tube exhaust manifolds 15 pounds
16. Stainless flex exhaust 15 pounds
17. Remove catalitic converter 15 pounds
18. Lighter mufflers 10 pounds
19. No air pump 10 pounds
20. No T Tops 25 pounds


Possibilities

1. Aluminum block 60 pounds
2.
3. remove radio 12 pounds
4. Aluminum rear end 30-40 pounds
5. Aluminum half shafts 10 pounds
6. hack up hood 10 pounds
7. Light weight sway bar 15 pounds
8.
9.
 
I think it was around 350$ for the thinnest windshield (that was @ summit, php-01241-2 is the part number)
 
Most of you guys know of the rather LONG list of crazy mods and custom crap I have played with over the years.....I would have thought my car would have weighed at least 200 lbs less than the 3300 even it did weigh...

can't beleive the 275-255/50/17 tires on '92 vette rims are that much heavier than stock as to make up for some 200 lbs off the front end and what ever that plastic spring made up for in the rear, minus the spare at 100 lbs there or so.....wonder if a vert really weighs all that much more than a coupe in these chrome years?? all I can say is I"m disappointed...I figgered an easy 3100 lbs car.....but I suppose the shipping weight is very optimistic.....maybe I need fill it with helium to weigh it.....I dunno....:sos::suicide::crutches:
 
Corvette weight reduction.

1. Removed front vacuum bar 31 pounds
2. Removed rubber plate behind bumper 13 pounds
3. Cutout steel behind license 5 pounds
4. Replaced brass radiator 31 pounds with aluminum 19 pounds net 12 pounds.
5. Aluminum heads save 44 pounds. SB
6. Remove A/C compressor 50 pounds
7. Aluminum intake 15 pounds
8. Aluminum driveshaft 10 pounds
9. Remove spare 40 pounds
10. Aluminum water pump 8 pounds
11. Aluminum calipers 40 pounds
12. Fiberglass spring 30 pounds
13. Seats 30 pounds
14. Aluminum wheels 20 pounds
15. Tube exhaust manifolds 15 pounds
16. Stainless flex exhaust 15 pounds
17. Remove catalitic converter 15 pounds
18. Lighter mufflers 10 pounds
19. No air pump 10 pounds
20. No T Tops 25 pounds


Possibilities

1. Aluminum block 60 pounds
2.
3. remove radio 12 pounds
4. Aluminum rear end 30-40 pounds
5. Aluminum half shafts 10 pounds
6. hack up hood 10 pounds
7. Light weight sway bar 15 pounds
8.
9.

Was the vacuum bar different in 75? I weighed mine (78) and it was 40 something lbs. Thought it was 48lbs. And there's no way your AC compressor was 50lbs.
 
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Was the vacuum bar different in 75? I weighed mine (78) and it was 40 something lbs. Thought it was 48lbs. And there's no way your AC compressor was 50lbs.


don't know what to tell you. I put the vacuum tube on the bathroom scale after i cut it out.

The 75 had those big hunking a/c compressors and with tubing, evaporator yea i think it could be 50 although it was many years ago and i never weighed it.

in my experience everyone tends to overestimate the weight of things they are taking off.
 
don't know what to tell you. I put the vacuum tube on the bathroom scale after i cut it out.

The 75 had those big hunking a/c compressors and with tubing, evaporator yea i think it could be 50 although it was many years ago and i never weighed it.

in my experience everyone tends to overestimate the weight of things they are taking off.


Probably right, on account of the POS lands on us from under the car, or we drag it to the shit heap, or we pick it up to set it on a shelf....:sos::crutches:
 
don't know what to tell you. I put the vacuum tube on the bathroom scale after i cut it out.

The 75 had those big hunking a/c compressors and with tubing, evaporator yea i think it could be 50 although it was many years ago and i never weighed it.

in my experience everyone tends to overestimate the weight of things they are taking off.

That could be just it, you cut yours out. I didn't. So I had the extra weight from the mounting brackets, plus, when I weighed mine I included the removable metal mounts.

And now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure that my compressor wasn't original. I remember seeing an original once and I was surprised how big it was, so I really don't know. But however much it weighed, it's off now! And that's what matters.
 
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