I've always had weight loss ideas for the Malibu in my mind and now thought it was time to compile a list. Feel free to add ideas you may have as well.
Keep in mind that not all these items are appropriate for all applications. Each of us must decide what is worth doing, and what are a bit too far "out there" for what we are trying to accomplish.
i can say this, if I had to build my car again from scratch, I'd surely take weight more seriously. When i originally built the car many years ago, I never really gave component weight much thought. As the years pass and i make parts changes here and there, I'm looking at weight much closer as ounces add up to pounds in the end.
enjoy
Todd
- remove undercoating
- remove any sound deadening material
- remove air conditioning
- remove heater box
- remove air ducts under dash
- remove heater or A/C controls
- remove radio & speakers
- remove rear seat
- remove crash bars in doors
- remove wiper motor, linkage, and arms
- remove spare tire & jack
- remove passenger side mirror
- remove front & rear sway bars
- remove emergency brake components
- swap power steering for manual steering
- swap manual steering for rack & pinion conversion
- swap power brakes for manual brakes
- swap tilt steering column for standard
- swap standard steering column for lightweight chromoly tube
- plastic headlights
- light weight race disc brakes front & rear
- light weight aluminum or plastic race seats
- aluminum rear firewall instead of steel
- use minimum gauges to monitor critical functions only
- remove unneeded wiring circuits & wire from dash & car
- aluminum intake manifold
- aluminum heads
- aluminum block???
- aluminum radiator
- aluminum water pump
- aluminum radiator core support
- chromoly tube radiator core support
- chromoly tubular A-arms
- chromoly tubular transmission crossmember
- fiberglass front & rear bumpers, eliminate factory bumper shocks, fab LW mounts
- fiberglass hood liftoff lighter than hinged
- fiberglass doors
- fiberglass trunk lid
- fiberglass dash
- lexan windows
- chromoly roll bar/cage instead of heavier/thicker wall mild steel
- 8.5 10 bolt or 12 bolt rear is lighter than most Ford 9" rears
- if using Ford 9", use aluminum center section and/or chromoly fabricated housing
- aluminum or carbon fiber driveshaft
- gun drilled/profiled flange axles
- lightened spool
- titanium drive studs
- shorter rear with shallow back space wheels are lighter than longer rear and deep backspace wheel combination
- light weight aluminum wheels...compare brands & weight. Many of the new design drag wheels are lighter than the older draglites, drag stars, centerlines, etc.
- light weight drag tires, both front & rear...again compare brands, Hoosier D/R lighter than M/T D/R.
- if using bias ply slicks, remove inner tubes
- keep bolts as short as possible, eliminate washers when you can
- use 1 battery instead of 2
- consider using 16 volt battery and remove alternator...charge between rounds
- new dry cell batteries are smaller & lighter than older wet cell designs
- car audio acoustical carpet lighter than rubber backed factory carpet
- powerglide is lighter than th350 or th400
- if needing 3 speed, maybe consider lightened version like the Kilgore, Coan or Rossler versions
- aluminum or titanium body/sheetmetal fasteners
- use newer breed nylon covered braided hose instead of stainless steel braided hose
- keep exhaust as short as possible, compare muffler weights from different manufacturers
- factory block is lighter than aftermarket
- aluminum rods lighter than steel
- smaller radiator lighter and holds less water, less weight
- acid dipping non critical/structural componenets
Keep in mind that not all these items are appropriate for all applications. Each of us must decide what is worth doing, and what are a bit too far "out there" for what we are trying to accomplish.
i can say this, if I had to build my car again from scratch, I'd surely take weight more seriously. When i originally built the car many years ago, I never really gave component weight much thought. As the years pass and i make parts changes here and there, I'm looking at weight much closer as ounces add up to pounds in the end.
enjoy
Todd
- remove undercoating
- remove any sound deadening material
- remove air conditioning
- remove heater box
- remove air ducts under dash
- remove heater or A/C controls
- remove radio & speakers
- remove rear seat
- remove crash bars in doors
- remove wiper motor, linkage, and arms
- remove spare tire & jack
- remove passenger side mirror
- remove front & rear sway bars
- remove emergency brake components
- swap power steering for manual steering
- swap manual steering for rack & pinion conversion
- swap power brakes for manual brakes
- swap tilt steering column for standard
- swap standard steering column for lightweight chromoly tube
- plastic headlights
- light weight race disc brakes front & rear
- light weight aluminum or plastic race seats
- aluminum rear firewall instead of steel
- use minimum gauges to monitor critical functions only
- remove unneeded wiring circuits & wire from dash & car
- aluminum intake manifold
- aluminum heads
- aluminum block???
- aluminum radiator
- aluminum water pump
- aluminum radiator core support
- chromoly tube radiator core support
- chromoly tubular A-arms
- chromoly tubular transmission crossmember
- fiberglass front & rear bumpers, eliminate factory bumper shocks, fab LW mounts
- fiberglass hood liftoff lighter than hinged
- fiberglass doors
- fiberglass trunk lid
- fiberglass dash
- lexan windows
- chromoly roll bar/cage instead of heavier/thicker wall mild steel
- 8.5 10 bolt or 12 bolt rear is lighter than most Ford 9" rears
- if using Ford 9", use aluminum center section and/or chromoly fabricated housing
- aluminum or carbon fiber driveshaft
- gun drilled/profiled flange axles
- lightened spool
- titanium drive studs
- shorter rear with shallow back space wheels are lighter than longer rear and deep backspace wheel combination
- light weight aluminum wheels...compare brands & weight. Many of the new design drag wheels are lighter than the older draglites, drag stars, centerlines, etc.
- light weight drag tires, both front & rear...again compare brands, Hoosier D/R lighter than M/T D/R.
- if using bias ply slicks, remove inner tubes
- keep bolts as short as possible, eliminate washers when you can
- use 1 battery instead of 2
- consider using 16 volt battery and remove alternator...charge between rounds
- new dry cell batteries are smaller & lighter than older wet cell designs
- car audio acoustical carpet lighter than rubber backed factory carpet
- powerglide is lighter than th350 or th400
- if needing 3 speed, maybe consider lightened version like the Kilgore, Coan or Rossler versions
- aluminum or titanium body/sheetmetal fasteners
- use newer breed nylon covered braided hose instead of stainless steel braided hose
- keep exhaust as short as possible, compare muffler weights from different manufacturers
- factory block is lighter than aftermarket
- aluminum rods lighter than steel
- smaller radiator lighter and holds less water, less weight
- acid dipping non critical/structural componenets