Losing weight (on the car too)

[squirrel]

I've been on a weight loss kick lately. About a year ago I changed my diet, and lost about 25 lbs, although I've gained back about 5 of that.

I also wanted to see if I can get my car into the tens, but it has a long ways to go, best ever run was 11.25 at 122. On DW last year it ran 11.28 at 120 in Tulsa. I'm planning on going to the HAMB drags at Mo-Kan in a couple weeks. So far I've removed the front bumper, hood ornament, and (temporarily) the heater. I ordered an aluminum cross flow radiator to replace the leaking brass one. I plan on removing the exhaust (full 3" system with huge Flowmaster mufflers), and maybe the back seat, when I get to the race. I also ordered a small late model starter, to replace the old big heavy one.

One problem I have is with wheels, I kinda need to have 60s looking wheels for the HAMB drags, so I can't run my Centerlines, which are really light. It would be nice if I could find some skinny front aluminum slots, like 4" wide, but that's probably not going to happen.

What else can I do? I want to keep the car "nice" and not turn it into a car that I wouldn't want to drive any time, and I don't want to put modern looking stuff on it if I can avoid it.

[BigBlockMopar]

That top cogwheel on the pump looks 'big'.
Can you make it loose a cog or 2 with the fuel you're using?

[squirrel]

Oh, I forgot to mention that I ordered some new cogwheels (pulleys in the US). Three teeth more different than the current setup. I was also considering switching to a 2" wide belt, but I don't know how that would work....they ran them in the old days. But they usually had much larger diameter pulleys, too.

[TheSilverBuick]

What are the odds of finding something like a fiberglass hood to you temporarily? Make it fit and get a quick coat of paint? Other than that, I don't have much for you that you haven't already listed and I'm sure my suggestion is more of a stretch than the 4" slots you were thinking about.

Maybe Groucho or someone has a set to loan for a month or two?

[Barry Donovan]

that drivetrain is ten times bigger than the car and you search for weight loss.

try tweaking the massive engine first.
Silliness. An n/a 4000 pound can squeeze into tens with a guru.
a 1781cc boxer crams tens with a guru. Even a wobbly rotary screams into the tens.

don't let the "go light" ricer disease plague your beautiful setup. Add engine as "tonnage" increases

[TC]

Stick 4.56 gears in the rear and you will run 10's no problem..........

[squirrel]

uhhh...how does that work? I stuck 4.11s in it and ran 11.93 in Tucson. The 11.2x times were with 3.25 gears (and shorter tires)

[CDMBill]

This might be out there cost wise, but I've seen real magnesium slots, skinny frornt runner style, at the Long beach swap meet recently, they would be period legit, same goes for the rear mag rims if they fell out of the sky somewhere. Front runner tires can be a big benefit, greater than simple weight reduction as they are rotating mass.

Are there any light weight suspension alternatives that wouldn't be be bogus for the look? And last might be lighter weight drum brakes, but you may already run those?

Are you way safe on traction and launch? More power is useless if it won't hook. The other possibility is more converter with potentially the same issue. If you are running a stick and I forgot, my apologies. The other side of that launch equations is efficiency, if you have traction to spare, increasing tire pressure on both ends helps ET. I never got to see the car run on Drag eek so I'm behind on its launch behavior.

[squirrel]

I had slicks on it the last time I ran at Tucson, I coudn't really tell if it was slipping or not, it felt good. The drag radials also seem to hook up ok. I don't know how more power will affect it....could be that something will give. My plan for the HAMB drags is to run some taller drag radials on steel wheels, probably with the 3.70 gears.

I have light weight Wilwood disks up front and stock Chevy drums in back. I don't see much potential weight savings there. And suspension....I could go to a drop tube axle, it could save some weight if I cut off the front of the frame, but I don't really want to go there.

I've also considered going to aluminum heads, but the ones I want are hard to find and expensive...that would be the older GM heads, even though they're not the best for performance. I don't want to have to deal with changing the exhaust, because it's tight with the steering box, etc. and I want to keep the engine running mostly old technology, to maintain my luddite image.

[BigBlockMopar]

I see you 'shop' at the same place as I do when it comes down to battery holddown brackets...
Could you replace it with a thinner strap of aluminium to save another pound?

[skullbucket]

Aluminum radiator?

[TC]

uhhh...how does that work? I stuck 4.11s in it and ran 11.93 in Tucson. The 11.2x times were with 3.25 gears (and shorter tires)

I guess traction must of became an issue with the 4.11's or where you running out of RPM before the finish line??...

Or better yet go to a smaller blower pulley, lose weight and gain HP......

[milner351]

I will check all my slots ( I need to make sure I don't already own a pair that will work for what I want on the rear of the falcon before I buy another pair anyway)
If I have a set of 4" wide with unilug (not ford pattern) I will let you know - shipping wouldn't be horrible.

is 5 or 6 too wide for fronts?

[realsteelfreak]

That battery is costing you a few pounds, Jegs has Braille batteries that only weigh 11 or 15 pounds depending. What about the inner fenders?
What type of tranny crossmember ? how heavy? 1/2 square tube is light and pretty stout when built in a ladder type fashion. Do you still have a bench seat? what about period correct bucket just for the driver? Would you be willing to pop your side glass out and use thin Lexan?
Just a few thoughts.

[squirrel]

I will check all my slots ( I need to make sure I don't already own a pair that will work for what I want on the rear of the falcon before I buy another pair anyway)
If I have a set of 4" wide with unilug (not ford pattern) I will let you know - shipping wouldn't be horrible.

is 5 or 6 too wide for fronts?

THe Cragar G/Ts are 6" wide, 5" is ok too. I had 7s on it before. The front Centerlines I have are 5.5"

I dont' know if I want to get into a race battery....and I want to keep the inner fenders, I do drive in rain and on my 1/4 mile long dirt driveway, etc. The trans crossmember is pretty light already, it's 1x2 tube. I have early 60s buckets, it's a pain to remove the pass seat, and I would like to keep the interior as it is, for the most part. I put a lot of miles on the car. Side glass...I like glass, since I can see through it.

I'm not willing to turn it into a two lane blacktop car.

Thanks for the ideas!