SS Chevy II race weight

[JCChildress]

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.

[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

[Rory McNeil]

Originally Posted by 55 Chevy

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

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.

[Jeff Lee]

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 !

[RPinoski1]

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 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.

[LE WILSON]

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.

[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.

[Jeff Lee]

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.

[philbilly]

Originally Posted by JCChildress

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.

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.

[Jeff Lee]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lee

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.

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