[Vettezuki]

So I finally had my Vette weighed today. I had it done at Shorr metals on their big truck scale, so we're talking gross weight +- 20lbs.

It was filled with 22 gals of gas, so a full wet weight.

3,100 lbs

It's a 1982 C3, so it used considerably more aluminum and other weight savings over the previous C3s.

80-82 (at least 82 for sure) over previous C3s:
- Aluminum Diff vs. Iron
- Fiberglass Monoleaf vs. Leaf Springs
- Coffee can vaccuum canister vs. Scuba tank looking thing

My further weight Reductions
- Aluminum block and heads (LSx) vs. Iron (roughly 100lbs right there)
- T56 vs. 700R4 (not sure how much but it's definitely lighter)
- Driver seat (which had heavy motor mechanism) replaced with Sparco seat
- Steering box power steering system replaced with manual rack and pinion
- Spare tire, hardware, and jack removed

Further possible weight reduction
- cast manifolds with LT
- cast calipers with aluminum
- steel half shafts with aluminum
- steel drive shaft with composite
- steel exhaust with titanium
- stock TT2s and street tires with light weight mag wheels and tires
- steel control arms for aluminum


Then getting pricey
- iron rotors with cf or titanium (thanks TT )
- cf replacement panels
- I *think* the Guldstrand 5 Link is quite a bit lighter than the stock rear setup with those heavy trailing arms.

I should be able to drop another 100 to 200 lbs depending on selection. That would also cost more than $5k. The reduction in unsprung weight would be substantial though which would make a noticeable impact on handling at the limit. After this however, it would start to be real stripping lie HVAC, radio, etc., which I won't do.

[94cobra69ss396]

Are you planning on road racing your Vette? I don't think 100lbs is going to make that much difference in the handling. For reference, the Cobra weighed 3442lbs with a 10 gallons of gas without me in it and I'm 210lbs.

[Vettezuki]

Originally Posted by 94cobra69ss396

Are you planning on road racing your Vette? I don't think 100lbs is going to make that much difference in the handling. For reference, the Cobra weighed 3442lbs with a 10 gallons of gas without me in it and I'm 210lbs.

Not really, so much. The weight reduction I would do would have far more of a handling benefit because it's a lot of unsprung weight more so than just the weight itself. A rule of thumb seems to be that 1 lb of unsrpung weight is roughly the equivalent of 7 lbs sprung weight as far as handling dynamics are concerned. So I might do it someday just for shits and giggles if I had play money, but by no means is it a primary goal. 3,100 lbs fully wet isn't so bad.

[BRUTAL64]

Originally Posted by Vettezuki

Not really, so much. The weight reduction I would do would have far more of a handling benefit because it's a lot of unsprung weight more so than just the weight itself. A rule of thumb seems to be that 1 lb of unsrpung weight is roughly the equivalent of 7 lbs sprung weight as far as handling dynamics are concerned. So I might do it someday just for shits and giggles if I had play money, but by no means is it a primary goal. 3,100 lbs fully wet isn't so bad.

Very simular to my 64 at about 2970. So I don't have a real weight advantage. So a bigger engine is going to be needed.

[Vettezuki]

Originally Posted by BRUTAL64

Very simular to my 64 at about 2970. So I don't have a real weight advantage. So a bigger engine is going to be needed.

Well, 130lbs isn't totally trivial, especially if you start flinging it around hard. You will need a bigger engine though. I might have another 20-30 HP sitting on the table in terms of timing alone.

[BRUTAL64]

Originally Posted by Vettezuki

Well, 130lbs isn't totally trivial, especially if you start flinging it around hard. You will need a bigger engine though. I might have another 20-30 HP sitting on the table in terms of timing alone.

That is my thoughts also. So the new motor is going to be around 550hp with open headers.

I can do that with the 377 ci easy enough but the extra torque of the 400 ci is always a plus. But either engine will be over 500 ft lbs.


Now to make it a challenge, I could do a 302 ci.

[Vettezuki]

Originally Posted by BRUTAL64

That is my thoughts also. So the new motor is going to be around 550hp with open headers.

I can do that with the 377 ci easy enough but the extra torque of the 400 ci is always a plus. But either engine will be over 500 ft lbs.


Now to make it a challenge, I could do a 302 ci.

This motor is going on a dyno once dialed in.

- Hypothesis/Theory
- Build
- Confirm

[BRUTAL64]

Originally Posted by Vettezuki

This motor is going on a dyno once dialed in.

- Hypothesis/Theory
- Build
- Confirm

What other way is there to build an engine? Your three step program is correct.

[Vettezuki]

Originally Posted by BRUTAL64

What other way is there to build an engine? Your three step program is correct.

That's the formula for life itself.

- think about what you want and make a plan
- do that
- evaluate results
- repeat

That's it. Children should be taught this from the earliest ages possible.

The less disciplined and more emotional a person is, the more a "victim" to circumstance they will be. The more rational a person is, the better off they will be and that's just the way it is.

Engine building is a fantastic object lesson because of the objective connection between ideas and results. It's a big part of the reason I got into car stuff as a hobby. There's not a lot of room for BSing physical stuff. Plus when combined with a world of aesthetics and subjective stuff it's just plain fun.