Weight reduction: Running out of ideas.

[69427]

BBC w/p pulley weight?

I've got the stock three groove water pump pulley (2.6#) on my engine. The front groove was used for the original A.I.R. pump, which seized up on me about a month after I bought the car. I'm presently using the front groove to run the small alternator that I moved over to the right side. I'm just pondering moving the alternator rearward two grooves distance, and using a hopefully lighter two groove pulley. Anyone have a two groove BBC w/p pulley that they could give me a reasonably accurate weight on?

Thanks for any help.

 

[69427]

First test drive of 2019.

Took the car out for a half hour drive around town to see how everything is performing. Ambient Temperature was mid nineties. The "new" used/lighter aluminum ps pump seems to work well, and the smaller/lighter radiator seemed to be up to the job. I've got a 195* thermostat in the engine, and the coolant temps were the same 200* that the engine usually runs at. Very relieved about that, as I hate to do a modification, and then immediately remove it if it didn't work. I did one minor additional change with this radiator swap. For the past several years I have had all three front grills closed off to reduce airflow going into the engine compartment and ending up under the car. I removed the center grill and blocking plate over the winter so that I had an access hole to reach in and install the ps cooler. I thought I'd play it safe with this first drive with the smaller radiator, and allow a bit more air to flow through the system, so I just installed the center grill again, but without the blocking plate. Once I get some track time I'll see if I can block off some of the center grill again.

I took a chance with this radiator, and it appears I got lucky.

 

[vette427sbc]

Was looking at a steering column I got from Gene a few years back. It's the standard column, which is lighter than my t&t column. While figuring out what small parts I need to procure sometime, I took a magnet to the column to see what was steel and what was aluminum. The top/visible stuff is aluminum, and the shafts and tubing/mounts are steel. It looks like it would be pretty straightforward to replace the tubing/mount section in aluminum, and take perhaps five pounds off this column (plus the weight of the t&t mechanism).

Anyone here a quasi expert on steering columns? I need to scrounge up some odds and ends parts for this project, particularly the key switch and the wheel/horn mounting hardware. With the bolt-on steering wheel (versus the press-on type, I'm curious if these parts are hard to come upon.

Thanks for any help.

My stock column with steering wheel and stainless steel u joint on the end is 21 lbs... I suspect you are right in that replacing the tubing with aluminum would work well, but being that’s your key is in the column, I think the dense potmetal/aluminum “bell” (end that tapers up to the wheel hub) might be difficult to replace with something a little more empty inside. I’ll report back when my ProLite column comes in... they are claiming 6lbs (no wheel or ujoint though)
If you need any parts or dimensions from my stock one, let me know...

 

[69427]

Was looking at a steering column I got from Gene a few years back. It's the standard column, which is lighter than my t&t column. While figuring out what small parts I need to procure sometime, I took a magnet to the column to see what was steel and what was aluminum. The top/visible stuff is aluminum, and the shafts and tubing/mounts are steel. It looks like it would be pretty straightforward to replace the tubing/mount section in aluminum, and take perhaps five pounds off this column (plus the weight of the t&t mechanism).

Anyone here a quasi expert on steering columns? I need to scrounge up some odds and ends parts for this project, particularly the key switch and the wheel/horn mounting hardware. With the bolt-on steering wheel (versus the press-on type, I'm curious if these parts are hard to come upon.

Thanks for any help.

My stock column with steering wheel and stainless steel u joint on the end is 21 lbs... I suspect you are right in that replacing the tubing with aluminum would work well, but being that’s your key is in the column, I think the dense potmetal/aluminum “bell” (end that tapers up to the wheel hub) might be difficult to replace with something a little more empty inside. I’ll report back when my ProLite column comes in... they are claiming 6lbs (no wheel or ujoint though)
If you need any parts or dimensions from my stock one, let me know...

I appreciate any future help.

My plan is to just replace the tubing parts that are not visible when the column is bolted up. If this project is workable, I would retain the actual steering shaft, and all the aluminum/potmetal stuff that is present between the steering wheel and the dash/instrument pad.

 

[mfain]

FWIW, this is the direction I went. On my C-1, I started with a standard C-3 column. The lightest column I could find was from Woodward, so I replaced the main body and shaft, but I kept the C-3 ignition, turn signals, etc. I built aluminum brackets to hold the ignition switch to the column (see photos). Then, as the car evolved from dual-use to track only, I remove the ignition switch assembly entirely. The heaviest parts are the switch housing and the pot metal piece that the steering wheel bolts to. I did make a fiberglass replacement for the pot metal piece when I no longer needed it to secure the wheel. What I ended up with is a light-weight Woodward column (with a splined, collapsible shaft, Woodward's light weight firewall bearing, and a light weight LaCarra steering wheel adapted to a Woodward quick release with an adapter from Joe's racing products.

Pappy

 

[69427]

Wasting time at the truck stop.

Stopped at a truck stop to get the car weighed. I went in and explained to the cashier gal what I wanted. Two scale measurements: I'll straddle the car over two scale segments to get the front and rear axle weights, and then when they got that measurement, I'll turn the car sideways, straddling the two scale segments again to get the left and right side weights. Spent an hour there moving the car, talking to the gal on the intercom and then in person, and then doing it all again because she didn't actually understand the first time. After four measurements, and the car puking coolant while idling on the scale waiting for the gal on the intercom to confirm that she got both measurements, I went back inside the truck stop and talked to her again (my third trip in there). She still couldn't figure out that I wanted two different type measurements (front and rear, and left and right), not just two half vehicle measurements. I finally gave up, and settled for the left/right measurement, because for reasons she couldn't explain, as soon as I moved the car to put it sideways, the machine apparently erased my front/rear weight reading. The Left/Right reading (with an eighth tank of fuel and no driver) was 1380/1340 for a 2720# total. I had hoped with the Front/Rear reading available, I could do some math and figure out the corner weights too.

I need to find a good deal on some wheel scales. The savings in time and frustration certainly might help offset the cost.

 

[phantomjock]

There are some digital postal scales that get to 660# each corner pretty cheap (eBay) - but won't make your total. Else, Proform scale prices keep dropping - now under $800 for wired versions. Racing Junk has none just now. Occasionally see some on the racing pages. I'm going to get 2 more 660s for the front end and use 4x 440s on the rear - put a piece of ply between the 2 on the rear.

LEFT RIGHT
[]xxxx[] and []xxxx[]
legend: [] scale xxxx ply

Cheers - Jim

 

[69427]

There are some digital postal scales that get to 660# each corner pretty cheap (eBay) - but won't make your total. Else, Proform scale prices keep dropping - now under $800 for wired versions. Racing Junk has none just now. Occasionally see some on the racing pages. I'm going to get 2 more 660s for the front end and use 4x 440s on the rear - put a piece of ply between the 2 on the rear.

LEFT RIGHT
[]xxxx[] and []xxxx[]
legend: [] scale xxxx ply

Cheers - Jim

Thanks. Gives me something to kick around for options.

 

[69427]

...................

What about a smaller single core radiator with the plastic side tanks like a C5? Less water weight, and at least a few pounds far up front. Your cooling system would have to be pretty damn efficient to keep a BB cool though...

Damn! Was looking through this old thread, and I see you were several years ahead of me with this idea. :thumbs:

 

[vette427sbc]

...................

What about a smaller single core radiator with the plastic side tanks like a C5? Less water weight, and at least a few pounds far up front. Your cooling system would have to be pretty damn efficient to keep a BB cool though...

Damn! Was looking through this old thread, and I see you were several years ahead of me with this idea. :thumbs:

So many years ago that even I forgot about that idea! :crylol:

 

[69427]

Ounces here, ounces there.

Swapped out my intake manifold (an antique, but stock appearing Edelbrock C396 model) for a spare one I had gathering dust on the shelf. On this replacement manifold I cut down the plenum divider (for hopefully a couple more upper RPM horses) and cut out the exhaust crossover casting under the manifold to get rid of a few more ounces of material. Had to weld up the crossover ports, but ended up with a little over 3/4 pound off the manifold (up front and up high!).

While bolting everything back on the manifold, for amusement I weighed the stock ignition coil (still working great after fifty years) and an 80's HEI/EST remote coil. The "newer" coil is about 5 ounces lighter, and when coupled to the HEI module hidden under the shielding, should provide a touch more high RPM energy to the plugs. I have to modify/replace the coil bracket, as GM in their infinite wisdom changed the bolt spacing by about a half inch on the bracket.

Not great leaps in weight reduction, but it's progress until I can get working on the aluminum LCA crossmember this winter.

 

[BBShark]

Is this the kind of coil you are describing?

 

[69427]

Is this the kind of coil you are describing?

Yeah. I've got a assortment of used OEM coils, including those types, that I've accumulated over the years. The "newer" EST coils generally have lower resistance and inductance, which makes it easier to get energy into them at upper RPMs.

I'm putting the distributor and the stock coil back in this week, hoping to get the engine running again after being apart the past while. I've got three new variables (the modified intake plenum, different carb jetting, and a shortened advance curve in the distributor), and I'll add the fourth variable later once I've got the first three items run in and tweaked.

 

[BBShark]

I'm using the same coil. Is the wiring this easy? I did find that the coil + & - are not accurate.

 

[69427]

I'm using the same coil. Is the wiring this easy? I did find that the coil + & - are not accurate.

The coil wiring is pretty simple. On my coil the two inner connector pins (closest to the laminations) are shorted together, and the two outer pins are also shorted together. The inner red wire is the high current 12v supply to the coil, and the smaller pink wire is the tapoff/feed to the ignition module. The outer two pins are the coil C- leads (one leads to the module switching transistor, and this internal connection is also the flyback voltage that is used in traditional tachometer circuits).

The coil secondary winding connections are at the coil large terminal (obviously), and the other end of the secondary winding is tied internally to the coil C+/12v pin (like most coils traditionally).

That's what I've gleaned looking at some online diagrams and using my ohmmeter.

As I mention before IIRC, I'll have to modify the current bracket or fabricate one to get the coil to position correctly under the ignition shielding (for the stock look).

 

[BBShark]

Thanks, the Holley diagram was confusing me because there is no + & - side to the coil and I found the terminals tied together as you describe.

 

[69427]

A couple more ounces

While searching around for some parts/options, trying to get the engine back to running condition, I used some otherwise non-productive time to shave a couple more ounces off the engine. I'm replacing the stamped steel brackets under the ignition shielding with aluminum pieces. Not much weight available to remove obviously, but the slight reshaping of the bracketry will free up some room under the shielding for the eventual replacement ignition coil, and give a touch more adjustment room for the vacuum advance canister.

 

[vette427sbc]

Small but easy... The seat position lever could be reproduced in aluminum with a plastic ball at the end to mimic the factory steel ball.

 

[BBShark]

Large and not so easy.... getting parts out for my car and was surprised at how heavy the wiper door (5lbs) and lift mechanism (5lbs) is. Maybe you could make a flip up fiberglass replacement for the door or, if you could live without wipers, a fixed door and remove the wipers arms and transmission.

 

[69427]

Small but easy... The seat position lever could be reproduced in aluminum with a plastic ball at the end to mimic the factory steel ball.

I welded up some replacement seat mounts a while back. I got an offer I couldn't refuse on some lightweight '79 seats (Thanks again, Karsten), and made some lightweight non-adjustable mounts, as I just needed to put the seats as far back and low as possible.

I appreciate the suggestion, and please keep them coming. :thumbs: