SS Chevy II race weight

[Ronnie Smith Jr]

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

[JCChildress]

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

[Dan Jacobs]

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

[Darrin Christen]

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

[Tom Meyer]

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

[Darrin Christen]

Originally Posted by Tom Meyer

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

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.

[Ed Carpenter]

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?

[55 Chevy]

Originally Posted by deuces wild

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?

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

[Ronnie Smith Jr]

Originally Posted by deuces wild

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?

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.

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Darrin Christen

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.

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.