SS Chevy II race weight
 

Can you get a 66 chevy II HT down to 2766# min weight? This would be with a 283 220/236. Also this would be almost 400 lb lighter than I ran in SS/LA when it was at 220/236 4 years ago.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Tom,
There are two local cars that I know of that can make min weight. Dan Jacobs SS/F '67 Chevy II 2dr sedan 327-299 weights 2710. Stepen Ballengers '65 Chevy II 2dr ht with a 327-260 made min weight @ 2770 in SS/IA. He has a stick in the car now but runs SS/J. Both cars were built with all lite weight parts available.
Larry Wilson SS/L '64 Chevelle 283-227

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

I know some have done it. I don't know how they do it. I raceed mine at 3050 last year. Need to get to 2930 this year. I've been trying and only have 42 lbs out of it so far. I just don't see 2700 in a HT. If you get there let me know. Ed

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Mine isnt a hardtop, but I'll guarantee ya that mine will get that light ! Headed to the chassis shop next week hopefully.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

What makes a hardtop heavier than a sedan? I know the trunk moulding on some of the hardtops 66&67 is pretty heavy. Can you legally run a hardtop in super stock without a trunk emblem? I'm not sure if any of the hardtops came without a trunk emblem.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

JC, I love that paint job your going with. Did you have to get approval from the Grump?

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

I ran my SS/K car at 2930 and carried about 50 lbs of ballast including the steel weight box. And it was right at 50/50. It had all of the "reasonable" stuff done to it and I ran a Dana 60 with a Nash 4+1. I don't see how you could get it under 2800 without some serious and expensive weight reduction.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Being a light driver would be a plus.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Dan Jacobs probably has the lightest Chevy II out there. He's one of the most weight conscious racers I've ever been around. He has spent an enormious amount of thought, time and money to get his car's weight where it is today. With his permission, I can tell you that he has no problem making the SS/F minimum weight of 2710. He weighs 245 with driving suit and helmet on. He told me if he needed to that he could remove another 30#. So I'll let you do the math to see what it can weigh less driver. He said the only weight problem he has is himself.LOL!

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Don't ever tell a racer... "It's not possible!"

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

My 4-door 66 stocker with me in it weighed a very minimum of 3035 and i weigh 215.
Front and back seat ,no gutting under dash,still got the heater in it and fan motor..
All i took off was wiper motor and just wiper blades. I personally think it is possible after seeing what mine weighed without a "SERIOUS " diet

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

You can not get a mild steel an Dana car that lite
Steve Belanger
ss/j 3030
ss/i 2770
65 nova hardtop

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Exactly!!!!!

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

And why would you NOT have a CM cage in the car? I remember when I put a CM roll-bar in my car almost everybody thought it was a waste of money; wouldn't save much weight. I beg to differ! And a CM roll-bar or cage is not only lighter but stiffer.
My Dana 60 has CM axle tubes in it and a lite-weight steel spool (I'm not brave enough for an aluminum spool), gun drilled axles, back-cut gear. Compared to any other standard issue rear-end, there's not much difference.
One of my AMX buddies (Adkins) converted his old square tube MS back-half to a round tube CM back-half. Knocked off a whole lotta weight!

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Mine has c/m cage and 12 bolt and all the full interior

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

I've got a 67 Chevy II x Modified production car in the shop right now that weighed in at 2830 with a 180# driver .
Small block ,powerglide car. with a Dana60. 2 alum seats, bracket car,but still could be SS legal.
At that weight we still found the Roll cage side rocker bars were filled with lead ,and the area behind the trunk trim insert was also filled with lead!!
Lots of thin metal and built way before Tiawan parts.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Whats the shipping weight on the 4 door?

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

No sir, I didnt have to get permission from the Grump, but I did make sure it was all cool. He has a big picture of the car ( the rendering ) in his shop......he just chuckled.
I have got some parts for this build from the Grump.

My car will be as light as Jacobs car, and I weigh 180 lbs. Car is headed to Wisecarvers and he is VERY, VERY in tune to a lightweight car. Mine will be all chrome moly too, and will have a 9 inch Ford.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

My car is 2830 without me in it. I guess I'm the problem!

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

I believe it can be done - although you will not like the cost it takes to get it there.

lots of acid
aftermarket panels including quarters
aftermarket glass - all sides
aluminum where you can
titanium where you can
chromemoly throughout, round tube only, no retangular or square tube

this is just for starters - feel free to add to the list

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

I respectfully disagree Ronnie. I wont use any of that stuff. It will just take time, creativity and enginuity. ( and a lot of grinding abd drilling........and chrome moly..) lol

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Ronnie you are correct. The list is long of things to do. Good Luck with grinder and Drill JC.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Does anyone know why the hardtops are heavier than the sedans, or is it just a myth?

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

The super sports are a different shiping weight than a reg ht. Shipping weight on post car is 2775, 2829 on a ht and 2868 on a ss. The factor on a ht is 11.99 or a j car the ss is 12.18 a k car so if you have a ss with a 283/236 you can still run SS/LA, a ht is K or J. I have done a lot of work but don,t think I can get close to j min. The post car is almost a 100 lb lite than ss. Tom

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Tom, I understand what your saying, I would like to know what part of a hardtop makes it heavier than a sedan. Is it just because it has less options? I would think the sedan would be a little heavier than a regular ht because the sedan has the frame around the door windows, or maybe the door glass on a sedan is thinner than a ht because it has a frame to support it. I don't know, just something I always wondered about.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

My car does have a CM cage but it has a Dana 60 steel spool,gear isn't lightened, no gun drilled axles,single leaf springs still under it. How much lighter would it be if I went to a 9" with aluminum spool,lightened gear, gun drilled axles etc?

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

The hardtops have extra sheet metal bracing so the door openings remain consistent...Most noticeably ,a thicker galvanized strip inside the rocker panels.
BTW, The roof line is actually about an inch lower on the hardtops.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Ronnie it's going to be interesting to see when mine is done from the total makeover this summer what it will weigh. I'm going to dip the doors,trunk lid,fenders and hood. All new glass as well(suppose to be lighter). I need 80 more lbs out of this car. How's yours coming?

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Thanks Mark, Thats the kind of info I was looking for.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

4-door is lighter than the 2-door hardtop.... Same weight as a 2-door post,,,,,,Now that don't figure to me....

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Thanks Dan. I probably need to lay off the Dr. Peppers myself and get some of the stuff that Ronnie mentioned as well......but we'll see how it all works. Your car is one bad son of a gun and I'd love to be able to run with it....one of these days. Gives the rest of us something to shoot for though.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Ed

Many years ago I weighed my Dana 60 which has similar components to yours, against a 9" Ford of the same width with similar inners. Both of these did not include the brake assemblies.
Difference was right in the neighbourhood of 36 lbs.

I bet Travis at M/W could tell you the exact number using lightened components. It will obviously be more than that 36 lbs. Probably be more like fifty +.

Allan

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Was that with a spool, or "Sure Grip" llmited slip in the Dana?
Several years ago, swapped out the 9" in my bracket car with a Dana 60. Both used same width narrowed factory housings (Dana started as a 3/4 ton truck), Strange steel spools and axles, & identical drum brake setups. The 9" used a factory Nodular case, unbraced housing, and 33 spline spool & axles. With the Dana, we went with 35 spline spool & axles. The grand total weight gain with the Dana was 6 lbs. That said, if I had upgraded my existing 9" to 35 spline guts, braced the housing, and used a Strange iron case, I doubt the Dana would have been any heavier. Of course an aluminum case would have been lighter, but I was more concerned with long term reliability than spending big $$$`s for a few hunderths. The ring & pinion in the Dana still look mint, after 11 years of low 1.3-high 1.2 60 foots, with a stickshift.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

I've got a magnesium Dana 60 for sale. With axle tubs (no axles) and a carrier assembly (pro-gears, steel spool) it weighs just a tick over 100#'s. $3500 shipped with no carrier assembly. Now that's a sure way to getting ya'll all lightened up ! :)

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

The hard top has extra structure between the roof and headliner from the front window all the way to the top of the rear fender well.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Changed my dana to a 9 in this winter. Comparable parts lightened axles , steel spool, new housing from Moser,and an alum case. Total savings 40 lbs.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

We had .25 of realized et on the track. Been there and done that when I had the Camaro. I had the Dana, full steel spool, drum brakes all around, steel driveshaft no drilled axles, all the heavy parts. Went with Moser 9", aluminum spool, lightened ring gear, gun drilled and scalloped axles, titanium studs, drilled and slotted rotors with aluminum hats and aluminum driveshaft. Bought the lightest wheels on the market at the time, too.

For those of you who know the staging lanes at Maple Grove, the car would not roll while in neutral before the changeover. Afterwards, it was a different story.

Mine is coming along VERY slow right now. It is a matter of funding. I just installed a new shelving unit in the basement to put all of the parts and pieces together in one area. All of the polished trim and chrome is there along with the Vintage Air and frontrunner kit, the restored gauge cluster/speedo and plastic, dashpad, rocker moldings, etc is there, too. Motor is done and in the floor of the garage. Car is sitting in the garage waiting for me. The front clip is being put together with the radiator, condenser and a/c lines ready for mock up. The next big ticket item is the trans and Keisler will not return emails or voicemails. I wonder how they stay in business with poor customer service? From everything I have read and researched, they market a good product and I would like to buy their product however; if this is their normal way of conducting business I will go with a Tremec and cut the floor to make it fit (ouch). I anticipate another 14-18 months - at least.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

While I do not have the #, a Dana 60 with CM axle tubes is considerably lighter than some old truck Dana 60.
My AMX's Dana 60is out of the car right now. All MW parts with CM axle tubes, 40 spline gun drilled axles, Titanium studs, billet caps, light weight steel spool and back-cut ring gear, MW disk brake assembly. Even has fluid in it. I'll weigh it when I go out to the shop this Sunday.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

Jc I quit mt dew 19 days ago cold turkey I have since lost 9 lbs.:) No other changes other than regular dew to diet dr pepper and diet dew are flavors of choice. I figured 20 or 30 off me was cheaper than the car. I was 212lbs when I started I am shootin for 185.

Re: SS Chevy II race weight
 

198#'s complete, ready to place in the car (less wheels and tires of course).
Anybody else have a comparable with another brand?