View Full Version : Ways to lose weight
BigCars4Ever
04-04-2007, 06:15 PM
I've been thinking of how to shed some unwanted pounds cheap. I've come up with a few easy and inexpensive ways I think it could be done.
1. Replace the front bumper with pre98 aluminum one. These can be had for $50 at the salvage yard. Don't know if it is a bolt-in but it may require little modification.
2. Replace rear bumper with a custom aluminum one. Don't know what the fab would cost but It is a fairly simple part so maybe done inexpensivley.
3. Replace rear bumper mounts with heavy gauge aluminum tube. I don't know if anyone has ever removed these but trust me they are heavy. They are two steel tubes with a spring inside. They help the car meet the 5mph federal impact test. With the cost of our rear covers the cost of replacing sacrificial aluminum mounts is peanuts, even if they are custom.
4. Fuel tank. That steel tank has some weight to it. If someone made a plastic tank not only would it reduce the weight but it could reduce the chance of a tank fire in a sevear rear impact.
5. Repalce the watts linkage with a lighter aluminum or chrome molly system. I'm not sure what the factory watts parts weigh but they look heavy.
All of these things could propably be done for the cost of one painted glass hood. And reducing the weight at the extreme ends of the car can help with polar momentum.
Just some thoughts....Let the flames begin!:flamer:
sabtaj1
04-04-2007, 06:19 PM
I definately see your points. I would consider it also, But would much rather have to paint a glass cowl hood. LOL
BigCars4Ever
04-04-2007, 06:24 PM
I definately see your points. I would consider it also, But would much rather have to paint a glass cowl hood. LOL
But the hood so far is just a pipe dream. These mods are reasonable. I'd love have the hood too and a trunk lid while we're at it;)
sabtaj1
04-04-2007, 06:27 PM
Tell me about it. We got all hyped up on it then a big seagul dropped a bomb on us. owell, but you have a good point I may have to look into that alum bumper supports.
BigCars4Ever
04-04-2007, 06:44 PM
HP insn't the answer in autocross. I have enough horsepower, I need to lose some angular momentum!
RCSignals
04-04-2007, 07:15 PM
The only alternate Watts link for our cars as far as I know is the Metco
As I recall, someones said a while back that the are heavier than the stock ones, but do look nicer.
sailsmen
04-04-2007, 07:16 PM
Just find some more HP.
Cheaper and better to add HP.
Weight savings comes when HP is maxed out and you are over a class weight.
Shora
04-04-2007, 08:15 PM
Why not set up the car for heavy duty off roading?
HELLO??!! You bought a full size sedan and not a little two door sports car that will serve much better for auto crossing.
Please don't take offense to this post. It's your car so I respect your right to do whatever you want to it but it just sounds silly to me to start replacing the " ...rear bumper mounts with heavy gauge aluminum tube" in order to lose some weight for autocrossing.
Billzstangin66
04-05-2007, 01:46 AM
sell your heavy 18" wheels (to me) and get some cop steel wheels with the chrome center caps...
(18" wheels are heavy)
with the $1,500 or so from the wheels- glass hood, trunk, take out the rear seat, spare tire, windows- replace them with plexiglass...
and only put 5 gallons of gas in your tank at a time ;)
have fun.
jimlam56
04-05-2007, 04:18 AM
Ron, I'm interested in your bumper support idea, but for a different reason.
I believe there is a solution to the dreaded rear bumper cover sag by modding the bumper support.
Does anyone have a picture of their car with the rear bumper cover off?
Have you moved your battery to the trunk yet????
Mad4Macs
04-05-2007, 05:06 AM
Here's an idea. Remove the battery and install a removable hand crank!
:D
Canadasvt
04-05-2007, 06:00 AM
Well I know I could lose 50lbs from me belly, but I think it would be easier to take out all the sound insulation. ;)
Vortex
04-05-2007, 08:23 AM
It would be cheaper to replace the entire car with something else. I saw on jalopnik the other day a K-car with a factory turbo doing mid-13's.
O's Fan Rich
04-05-2007, 08:30 AM
Ron, I'm interested in your bumper support idea, but for a different reason.
I believe there is a solution to the dreaded rear bumper cover sag by modding the bumper support.
Does anyone have a picture of their car with the rear bumper cover off?
I do, Jim. Do you mean top sag or underneath sag? I got the underneath sag beat. I thought about using blue styrofoam to mold a top support up, but it got time consuming.
crouse
04-05-2007, 08:52 AM
I assume that when you go to the track that you remove the spare tire, jack, trunk organizer, floor mats etc. Everything that's not bolted down. This alone is worth about 85 lbs.
Check post #3.
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=29484&highlight=weight
Canadasvt
04-05-2007, 09:36 AM
I assume that when you go to the track that you remove the spare tire, jack, trunk organizer, floor mats etc. Everything that's not bolted down.
Plus I take the two baby car seats out. :)
KillJoy
04-05-2007, 09:45 AM
Empty the Trunk.
Remove ALL seats.
Install Racing Bucket for DRIVER only.
Swap out wheels for something smaller / lighter.
Or...live w/ the fact that you bought a 2+ Ton car, that was never intended to A-X....
KillJoy
BigCars4Ever
04-05-2007, 10:11 AM
Everything not bolted down gets removed and I time my fuel use so I have 1/4 tank or less for racing. As far as moving the batery to the trunk that would add weight. About 8 foot of heavy gauge cooper wire. No savings there. It's fun to AutoX a big car. Anyone can drive a small sports car and do fairly well. It's a challenge to get a car at 2x the weight to be competitive.
Dragcity
04-05-2007, 10:27 AM
How much exhaust pipe are you willing to sacrafice?
Headers are (probably) lighter than the exhaust manifolds...
How attached to the Air conditioning are you????
Power window motors are pretty heavy....
So is the rear subwoofer and amp....
I think the electric water pump vs OEM could save some weight as well...
Just some Ideas....
snowbird
04-05-2007, 10:28 AM
I like the idea of losing weight to gain some "nimbleness".
So far, I've got a rear mounted battery because I needed the space but also to gain on balance % front and rear.
It would be nice to have the info, as a start, of how much weight our front and/or rear bumper set-up do so to make a target ..... :)
O's Fan Rich
04-05-2007, 10:54 AM
Everything not bolted down gets removed and I time my fuel use so I have 1/4 tank or less for racing. As far as moving the batery to the trunk that would add weight. About 8 foot of heavy gauge cooper wire. No savings there. It's fun to AutoX a big car. Anyone can drive a small sports car and do fairly well. It's a challenge to get a car at 2x the weight to be competitive.
00 gauge gets real heavy..... but thta's the things you do sometimes
FordNut
04-05-2007, 11:03 AM
The stock mufflers and exhaust tips are quite a bit heavier than aftermarket ones.
Everything not bolted down gets removed and I time my fuel use so I have 1/4 tank or less for racing. As far as moving the batery to the trunk that would add weight. About 8 foot of heavy gauge cooper wire. No savings there. It's fun to AutoX a big car. Anyone can drive a small sports car and do fairly well. It's a challenge to get a car at 2x the weight to be competitive.
It would redistibute the weight. Anything you can get off the front wheels and on the rear will improve the distribution.
BigCars4Ever
04-05-2007, 12:02 PM
I like the exhast idea. What kind of weight would aftermarket delete tips and muflers save? 10lbs?
BigCars4Ever
04-05-2007, 12:04 PM
How much exhaust pipe are you willing to sacrafice?
Headers are (probably) lighter than the exhaust manifolds...
How attached to the Air conditioning are you????
Power window motors are pretty heavy....
So is the rear subwoofer and amp....
I think the electric water pump vs OEM could save some weight as well...
Just some Ideas....
A/C is a must in Fla. Plus this is my daily driver so comfort will propably win out over performance.
RCSignals
04-05-2007, 01:00 PM
Someone mentioned sound insulation. Apparently the Marauder has more sound insulation than any other GM or CV. That insulation is heavy.
Stranger in the Black Sedan
04-05-2007, 01:02 PM
LOL We own the hugest heaviest 4 door you can get on the road today. It's going to be easier to just eat less and lose weight there.
jimlam56
04-05-2007, 01:15 PM
I do, Jim. Do you mean top sag or underneath sag? I got the underneath sag beat. I thought about using blue styrofoam to mold a top support up, but it got time consuming.
I'm talking about sag at each side of the top of the bumpers Rich.
There's a brace that supports the cover, but right where it ends the bumper cover sags.
I'd like to see your picture, as I have an idea how to fix it.
Don't mean to hijack Ron!
Joe Walsh
04-05-2007, 01:30 PM
When you start to gut a big, heavy 4 door sedan...especially of its' sound deadening material I think that you are going too far to save weight...but "to each his own".
Personally, I make sure that I've "pinched a loaf" before I go drag racing.
I know that I've just saved at least a pound!
:D ....:rofl:
Paul T. Casey
04-06-2007, 08:09 AM
Drill holes in the frame rails, could get 50 lbs there. They used to do that at the factory, for the early S/S cars.
O's Fan Rich
04-06-2007, 09:11 AM
I'm talking about sag at each side of the top of the bumpers Rich.
There's a brace that supports the cover, but right where it ends the bumper cover sags.
I'd like to see your picture, as I have an idea how to fix it.
Don't mean to hijack Ron!
Jim, I posted one in my "battery to the trunk thread" Over There. Hope it helps.... you seen my cold air ducts and box? How about the air compressor to the trunk? my new methanol tank? my column pod w /XM radio mount? I'd show you my cool rear bumper undeneath support that I welded up, but I did not take pictures of it and the ProGaurd covers it now.
94_302
04-06-2007, 10:10 AM
If you are very serious about dropping weight and have the time, skills, e.t.c.
Check this out. http://www.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=660756
Page 6 he does a little write up.
David Morton
04-06-2007, 02:41 PM
If "nimbleness" is what you're looking for check out my review of the NAAKE suspension mods. I also have a thread in the garage section titled "NAAKE suspension solves body language problem".
1) The extra weight of the Metco control arms and Watts linkages are worth the stiffer rear suspension control.
2) The dual adjustable front and rear shocks can be turned up for a racing event and bro-ther does this suspension let this car jump into a lane like a panther pouncing on it's prey.
3) The extra power of 14" front rotors (good brakes in general) can't be overlooked for a serious racer. Being able to wait 'till the last microsecond before braking for a turn is worth lots of HP trying to make up the lost time after the turn.
Some of your ideas are good and yes angular momentum is a problem with this long car but for me they aren't worth the minimal effect to lose the safety they provide. I drive mine on the street and want those 5mph cylinders. They've actually saved me trunk damage once already, when a ricer boy rear ended me. He thought he had good brakes so he could follow me closely at high speed. Quicksilver said, "He don't know me vewy well."
Seriously, Quicksilver is overall about as nimble a car as I've ever driven, and that includes Camaros, Firebirds, Corvettes, and Mustangs. She's very tight.
cyclopsram
04-06-2007, 02:54 PM
Isn't your trunk lid aluminum already... My PIs have been for years... ????
BigCars4Ever
04-06-2007, 06:01 PM
If you are very serious about dropping weight and have the time, skills, e.t.c.
Check this out. http://www.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=660756
Page 6 he does a little write up.
I have neither the time or skills. That is awsome that he made his own glass molds and then made a carbon fiber part from them. I may need to try with a small part first. What was with the green plastic? Do you think he vacuum seals the mold like the pros do?
David, I have read your suspension write up before and was impressed with the results. When my factory shocks are a little more worn I am going to see if I can find the funds for this mod.
And no our trunklids are steel as is every Panther from 98 up. 97 was the last year of the aluminum hood, trunk lid and front bumper.
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