BBR's 83GT - 552 BBF version 3.0 (at least)

[BBR]

JWS4621 just pointed out that I do not have to have a back seat for the Street Race class at DW. It just needs to be upholstered back there.

Considering pulling the ac/heater box out because none of it is currently functional.

I'd like to relocate the battery to the back. Does not save weight, actually probably adds a few pounds, but does open up more under hood room and would put the weight in a better location.

A fiberglass hood would probably be a lot lighter than my steel one, but I'd like to exploit more free options before resorting to spending money in lighter parts!

Been looking at coil-over kits for the front. Again though, spending money to save weight is tough for me. lol

[squirrel]

taking stuff out is free....replacing it with lighter stuff is expensive. Look at my Chevy II project, lots of weight loss there, not much money being spent on lighter stuff. Plastic windows will probably be the major lightweight expense.

[BBR]

You have the distinct advantage of running in a class that is not as restricted as the street race class!

Making the car lighter is ok I guess, but making more power sure seems more funner to me.

It is definitely a balance between taking stuff out to be faster and maintaining it's "normal" car functions and comforts.

[squirrel]

yup....that's why I left my 55 alone, and am building a new car. The chevy II is a race car...the 55 is a street car.

Since you don't seem to drive your Mustang too often on road trips, you can get away with stripping as much stuff out if it as you can. Every pound is a thousandth of a second. They add up.

[38P]

Considering pulling the ac/heater box out because none of it is currently functional.

I've needed both of these at times on DW . . . Just sayin'

Free weight reduction and battery relocation are good ideas. I hate to think about how much my loaded Fox T-Bird is going to weigh. . . . as long as its only 5-6 lbs per horsepower, I'll be okay.

I've been reluctant to go with coil overs, too, because of cost and durability. But it sure would be nice to be able to change the ride height in five minutes.

Happy Motoring!

[squirrel]

I would not relocate the battery, it just complicates the wiring and adds weight.

I needed the heater/defroster on my 55 on DW both times I went. I only had it the first time. I survived the second time.

[38P]

I would not relocate the battery, it just complicates the wiring and adds weight..

Maybe 5 lbs (or 10 depending on how you build the rear firewall) . . . and virtually all of it is behind the center of gravity on the correct end of the car.

Former GM engineer Herb Adams used to claim that battery relocation affected weight distribution as much as moving the engine back several inches. It's covered in his book . . . .

The average BBF Fox already has more than 55% of its weight on the wrong end, and a fair amount of front wheel set-back (the engine is over the front wheels, not behind them), so moving a heavy battery back from the nose helps.

Garrett/Honeywell engineer Bill Watson made some interesting comments to Hot Rod a few years back on this general subject:

This [Gen I] Mustang Fastback, with a posi and BFG radial T/A tires (215 mm) pulled .54g before the changes, and with the battery in the trunk now pulls .55 to .56g [in a standing start launch]. Grand National Buicks (with posi) usually got .55g, 5.0L Mustangs (225mm, with posi) get .56 to .59g. My friend Rich has a ‘69 Super Bee, good posi, 215mm BFG’s, and pulls .57g before they spin. Note that these are not big differences from the best to the worst!

Now for some wide tire data: my friend John has a ’66 Nova with 275mm rubber and a good posi, yet it pulls .53 g max, right in there with my skinny-tired ’66 Mustang. Rich also owns a Hemi Charger with 275mm rubber, which can'’t generate more than .55g, which you'’ll note is less than his Super Bee does on 215s. That'’s because he has played the weight distribution game on the Super Bee.

Read more: http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/t...#ixzz2tDeF78ss

Each to his own. Happy Motoring!

[squirrel]

Looking at James' signature, that doesn't seem to be much of an issue...???

[BBR]

Haha It gets the front end up pretty nice.

Don't you hate it when you sell a part, then a couple of years later you are back wishing you still had it?

Well I have been looking at cam changes on and off some time and one of the recommendations on the BBF board was "more duration and wider LSA". Flash back to the Ranger project and the camshaft I used..... had more duration and LSA than the one I currently have.

In fact, I was playing 'cam designer' yesterday looking at the master lobe catalog and chose a couple of lobes that looked good. I went back and checked and they were dang close to what the old cam had!

We have come full circle. Doh!

[BBR]

The 2014 DW list:

"For Sure Column"
Trans blanket
Improved trans cooling
Loose a little weight (the car not me!)
Weld in the harness bar

"Maybe Column"
Run a shorter slick (MT ET Drag 3053S 26x10.0-15 stiff wall) to gain some effective gear ratio.
Change cam to a Lunati 40340906. Little more duration (+16 intake, +14 exhaust) and lift (+0.050").

[BBR]

Hey it's finally out of backyard jail! I finally moved it back to the driveway and. Fiddled around with it a bit and bolted the caps on the cut outs. Now I will start looking into making some of the changes I have been thinking a lot about.

[BBR]

Well this wasn't on my short list of upgrades but I ran across a deal on some Moser 33 spline axles with 5/8" studs and cclip elims, so I pulled the trigger. I was feeling that I am on the edgE of the 28 spliner's ability to live much longer.

[Russell]

Oh really!? What you doing with the 28s

[Beagle]

you've been on borrowed time for a while with the 28's... wise move!

[BBR]

I'm gonna run them until I have all the other parts I need to change over! I will probably hang on to them and keep that rear in tact. The the 33's will be going into the other 8.8 housing I have.

[Russell]

Can you tell if all the parts are included in this ad for the upgrade?

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/pts/4339782302.html

[BBR]

Looks like a good upgrade to me. As far as I can tell everything is there. I'd consider that a pretty good deal.

Edit: Looks like it is missing the bolts or studs that the eliminators use to bolt to the axle flange, but that's just a trip to the hardware store. No biggie.