ew1usnr, a little earlier tonight I had just finished removing the rear bench seat, seat belts, bolts, mounts from my 1964 Falcon. Last night I weighed the bench seat, a pound or two shy of 45 pounds. Today, I put all seat belts, bolts, and assorted crap laying around in the car that I will not put back, like jumper cables, some clothes for cold weather, and weigh that bag, somebody guessed and said over 25 pounds maybe 30, my guess is 20 pounds. So perhaps I've removed 65 pounds.
I then took the car for a drive, did I notice any difference? Of course I like to think I did, but whether there is a difference is really hard to tell. Nevertheless this is ONLY the beginning. I intend to find a light alloy wheel or donut for a spare, a scissors jack for a Hyundai or some such, and reduce the weight by another 20 to 30 pounds.
I also did some research online after browsing the local O'Reilly's parts store and seeing a "Lawn & Garden" battery. The person working the counter tells me her boyfriend runs a Nissan with a lawn and garden battery, and my research online showed that this is popular.
Wanna hear something crazy? I read one guy is using a battery pack to run his Japanese something or other hot rod with a battery pack from an airsoft toy bb gun and he provided the photos to prove it. Whether it was a hoax or not I don't know.
Myself, after I further confirm I can get away with it, I will buy a lawn and garden battery for my Falcon!!! It's got to lop off an easy 20 possibly 30 pounds.
My eventual goal is to use a fiberglass front bumper on the car, alloy intake manifold, lightweight alternator vs. generator, lighten the front bench seat, possibly remove cranks for rear windows and glue them in place (done it before), the lightweight spare tire, fiberglass hood, maybe create some light repros for some interior parts like that heavy glove box door. How about an aluminum steering column...
Right now I believe the most important thing is to get that weight off the front wheels, the alloy intake, battery relocated to trunk, and alternator should work some magic there, and when I can afford it, fiberglass hood.
I figure a fiberglass front bumper and brackets, relocating the battery, and alternator conversion alone should remove about 55 to 70 pounds from the front, assuming the battery weighs 35 pounds which is what I recall this sized battery weighed when I measure a similar one 13 years ago. I assume the bumper will save 25 pounds, and the alternator saves 5 to 10 pounds, or if I get lucky, even more.
I've been told there are modern radiators that are very light, but then I'm begin to bump up against a problem I have, I'm a VINTAGE FREAK, I don't want to lose the period flavor so I don't know that I would put a modern radiator in the car. I may even refrain from using my Edelbrock Performer intake and try to find a vintage 1960's alloy intake.
Anyway, those are my plans. Tonight, after driving the car with about 65 less pounds in it, I believe there was some difference, I cannot be sure, but one thing is certain, removing 65 pounds certainly did NOT HURT!! :-)
I will also remove my two gallon spare gas container and buy a smaller single gallon spare gas container. I believe a pound of gasoline is about 5 pounds. Okay, I just checked, it's 6 pounds.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks