Parts weight

[422challenger]

Is there a post or database with E body parts and their weight? I am looking to remove some weight from my 73 Challenger? Any idea what the front bucket seats weigh?

 

[moparleo]

No chart I am aware of. Just buy a scale and weigh what you don't need/want. Is this for any specific purpose ie.. 1/8 1/4 mile track racing?

 

[422challenger]

I run mostly 1/8 mile, but some 1/4 mile. The car is also occassionly driven on the street. I weighed my car last time as The Texas Motorplex and it weighed 3745 with driver. The car is all steel and full interior, minus the heater box. I am looking at pulling the factory seats and replacing with something lighter.

 

[moparleo]

Wow. That is heavy. I assume you already moved the battery to the trunk. Doesn't save weight but helps to put in a more use full location. Fiberglass hood, fenders, bumper etc... ?

 

[422challenger]

Battery is in the trunk and I plan to order a fiberglass hood. I want to lighten the car without looking cut up. I just bracket race the car and would like to pick up a tenth. Currently the car runs in the 10.80s.

 

[challenger6pak]

Have you removed the bumper reinforcement plates? 73's are heavier than other years due to the bumpers, the fiberglass front end, etc. Changing the seats won't make much of a difference. Have you thought about putting the motor in a smaller car? Like an A body? For your weight, the car runs well. A lightened A body would fly with your motor.

 

[422challenger]

Bumper reinforcements are removed and only i only run a single bumper bracket on each side. I have ran my motor in a tube chassis 85 Shelby Charger and ran as quick as 9.30 @ 143. Again not trying to be the fastest just looking to loose 100 to 200 lbs from the car. I plan to change the front wheels and tires to a lighter set up, cut the door impact beams out, glass hood and front bumper, change to Strange front disk brakes from the factory brakes and put light weight seats.

 

[burntorange70]

Not sure about 73 seats but a set of 70 buckets I had were around 60 Lb each.

 

[moparleo]

Nice car. Are you racing straight up or with a dial in? You know that with a dial in it doesn't matter how quick you are but how consistent you are. You could run 15.0 all day long and win as long as your dial in was 15.0

 

[422challenger]

Not sure about 73 seats but a set of 70 buckets I had were aroud 60 Lb each.

I was thinking the seats were 60-70 lbs each, so 120-140 lbs total. I will probably pull one this weekend and weigh it. I was looking at the Summit Sport Seat and RCI seats. I weighed a Summit Sport seat with a-body brackets and it weighed 37 lbs. The RCI is a lightweight race seat and about 10 lbs.

I do just bracket race, but like everyone else always want to go faster.

 

[AUSTA]

I was thinking the seats were 60-70 lbs each, so 120-140 lbs total. I will probably pull one this weekend and weigh it. I was looking at the Summit Sport Seat and RCI seats. I weighed a Summit Sport seat with a-body brackets and it weighed 37 lbs. The RCI is a lightweight race seat and about 10 lbs.

I do just bracket race, but like everyone else always want to go faster.

Do you have a lightweight starter motor not a lot but every bit helps .

 

[422challenger]

No. A factory mini starter would fit with the supercomp headers.

 

[deaks]

The hood and bumpers weigh a lot, my Dart hood with all the hinges and other parts was around 66 # if i remember right, i bet the e body one weighs a ton, i also fitted fibreglass bumper brackets as well as bumpers.
Mick

 

[422challenger]

I pulled the passenger seat to weight and it only weighted 36.4 lbs. I also removed the passenger side impact beam and it was 11 lbs. I was unable to remove the driver's side as I was afraid I would damage the paint, it has an extra piece towards the outside. I got two new front rims and front runners, which saves 7 lbs per side.

I will probably still add a set of the RCI high back buckets as they are only 10 lbs each, so it would save about 52 lbs total. I have a fiberglass bumper that need to be repainted, but I will put that on along with making aluminum brackets. I plan to replace the steel hood with a VFN 6 pack hood. There really is not a lot of other area I saw that I could take out without making the car look cut up.

 

[challenger6pak]

You can take out the quarter window regulators. You can put a bolt and nut in the track to fix the windows in place. You can replace the glass headlights with plastic ones. A standard instrument cluster weighs less than a rallye one. Go with no radio, or speakers. Switch to manual steering. Use Cordoba or St. Regis disc brakes. They are larger, stop better, and are built with a no drag feature. I don't know if they are lighter, but the lack of drag is an equally important help. You can use a fiberglass front and rear valance below the bumpers. Aluminum radiators are lighter than brass ones. You can go with a fiberglass trunk lid. I never have. I like to keep the weight in the back for launching traction. If you have sway bars they can be removed. You lose weight and gain bad corners. The lightest Challenger grille is a 1970 unit. I would guess you would lose 30 + lb. going to a 70 grille. An aluminum drive shaft with a safety loop weighs a little less than a steel driveshaft without the loop. There are many places you can save a pound here and there. I have done what you are doing. I went as far as weighing shocks in the past for a car. It is a lot of work.

 

[MOPARMITCH]

I know a guy on the A body forum that has a complete fiberglass Challenger front end, New.For sale, Cheap he says.Hood and both fenders. PM me

 

[422challenger]

This is kind of a balancing act. While I am trying to lighten up the car I still drive it on the street.

 

[burntorange70]

Ash tray delete. Did it to my Dart. I even smoke, but not in the Dart. I like the concept of removing weight and not making it look like a cut up car. May start a thread for people to post there non intrusive light weight modifications. But first to think of a shorter name for it.

 

[422challenger]

I have made a little progress with removing some weight. Here's what I have came up with so far-

Weld ProStar Front wheels with radial street tires- 31 lbs each to Race Star Industries wheels with MT ET Front- 24 lbs each

Factory power disc brakes with booster, master cylinder and vacuum canister- 97.7 lbs to Strange Pro Race disc brake kit with master cylinder and adapter plate- 37.5 lbs

Passenger side impact beam- 11 lbs

Radio and speaker wires- 4 lbs

Speakers- 9 lbs

Steel bumper with outer bumper brackets only- 25.2 lbs to fiberglass bumper with aluminum brackets- 5.8 lbs

Total weight savings so far- 114 lbs

I will be replacing the steel hood with a VFN bolt on pin front six pack hood next week and will post the savings.

 

[mpdlawdog]

I'm interested in seeing how you did the aluminum bumper brackets..if you have pics