Re: G3 diet plan for the street

by JiMi_DRiX Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:47 pm

74Malibu383 wrote:To each their own on removing AC/Heater stuff. I’ll keep mine. I’m also all for getting rid of the inner bumper stuff, bench seat, steel wheels, lighter cross-member, stuff like that. However, I’m not sold on altering the body panels.

Food for thought - Let's say you go the fiberglass route, hood, fenders, trunk and bumpers. I'm not sure how much weight you'll cut out, but I'm sure it would be a ton. You would still retain all the factory glass, and it would still be streetable for all intents and purposes. However, what is all that fiberglass going to cost you? Going off of US Body Source, you're looking at $1,800 plus shipping. Not to mention we all know that stuff doesn't "bolt-on". So, add in the headaches, the fillers, the sandpaper etc. You have to be close to let's say $2,300 before you even get to paint. You put it all together, it looks amazing, and you shaved a ton of weight. Maybe even gained a half a second at the strip. Awesome……… However, it's still fiberglass. One fender bender and you're f'd. One actual accident, and you're totally f'd! There are some real idiots out there, and it’s just not realistic for a street car.

Now, let's take that $2,300 you just spent to make your car lighter and put it into the motor. You can order a deluxe (pan to carb) 350 crate motor w/290hp from GM for $2,500.00. That's a 100-150 more horsepower than the stock small-block had, and 60 more HP than the stock big block came with. Not to mention we all know you could build a much more powerful engine for a heck of a lot cheaper yourselves. This was purely an example.

You say you already have a pretty decent motor? Ok… still put that $2,300 into it and now you have a motor throwing down BIG power numbers while still maintaining a “streetable” car. Not to mention you’re probably gain more at the track with the added power than you ever would have with losing the weight.

- Just saying...

I went the other route and installed a ZZ4 crate motor, new transmission, and 3.73 gears. Makes my boat feel like a feather. lol

by TWBouska AKA Wooderson Sun Jun 19, 2011 12:33 am

the only fiberglass part i may be interested in is the laguna nose replica that they make, but the whole car, nawwww.

by TWBouska AKA Wooderson Sun Jun 19, 2011 12:34 am

JiMi_DRiX wrote:
74Malibu383 wrote:To each their own on removing AC/Heater stuff. I’ll keep mine. I’m also all for getting rid of the inner bumper stuff, bench seat, steel wheels, lighter cross-member, stuff like that. However, I’m not sold on altering the body panels.

Food for thought - Let's say you go the fiberglass route, hood, fenders, trunk and bumpers. I'm not sure how much weight you'll cut out, but I'm sure it would be a ton. You would still retain all the factory glass, and it would still be streetable for all intents and purposes. However, what is all that fiberglass going to cost you? Going off of US Body Source, you're looking at $1,800 plus shipping. Not to mention we all know that stuff doesn't "bolt-on". So, add in the headaches, the fillers, the sandpaper etc. You have to be close to let's say $2,300 before you even get to paint. You put it all together, it looks amazing, and you shaved a ton of weight. Maybe even gained a half a second at the strip. Awesome……… However, it's still fiberglass. One fender bender and you're f'd. One actual accident, and you're totally f'd! There are some real idiots out there, and it’s just not realistic for a street car.

Now, let's take that $2,300 you just spent to make your car lighter and put it into the motor. You can order a deluxe (pan to carb) 350 crate motor w/290hp from GM for $2,500.00. That's a 100-150 more horsepower than the stock small-block had, and 60 more HP than the stock big block came with. Not to mention we all know you could build a much more powerful engine for a heck of a lot cheaper yourselves. This was purely an example.

You say you already have a pretty decent motor? Ok… still put that $2,300 into it and now you have a motor throwing down BIG power numbers while still maintaining a “streetable” car. Not to mention you’re probably gain more at the track with the added power than you ever would have with losing the weight.

- Just saying...

I went the other route and installed a ZZ4 crate motor, new transmission, and 3.73 gears. Makes my boat feel like a feather. lol

what did you install for the trans? im building a 383 right now, have a 700r4, and just got a posi unit, but i dont know if i want to keep the 3.73s since my elco is my daily, what kind of rpms are you tacking?

by JB2wheeler Sun Jun 19, 2011 2:15 pm

Actually, with a 700r4, a 3.73 is an ideal ratio for the street in a daily driver. Now on the other hand if you do a lot of highway driving you might want to back off to a 3.42 or 3.18. JB

by TWBouska AKA Wooderson Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:55 pm

JB2wheeler wrote:Actually, with a 700r4, a 3.73 is an ideal ratio for the street in a daily driver. Now on the other hand if you do a lot of highway driving you might want to back off to a 3.42 or 3.18. JB

yeah i generally do mostly freeway driving out here. if you dont it takes FOREVER to get anywhere.

by TWBouska AKA Wooderson Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:55 pm

im thinking i probably will go 3.42's

by dynchel Fri Mar 08, 2013 11:02 am

heres what i did to shave a little weight...the first two are header panel supports.
G3 diet plan for the street - Page 3 Photobucket-88026-1362748990235_zps8838b0ce

G3 diet plan for the street - Page 3 Photobucket-88026-1362748990235_zps8838b0ce

G3 diet plan for the street - Page 3 Photobucket-89014-1362749023208_zps114c856e

this is the bumper crash brace. (the center is all gutted out)
G3 diet plan for the street - Page 3 Photobucket-87093-1362748943550_zpseada8c74

this is the old school free way to shave weight. GoFast

heres what my tucked bumpers look like..

G3 diet plan for the street - Page 3 Photobucket-87443-1362491297839_zpsc831746d

G3 diet plan for the street - Page 3 Photobucket-86759-1361563308991_zps070ff8a3

by Mcarlo77 Fri Mar 08, 2013 11:58 am

That actually looks pretty cool, too! That's a lot of drilling...or, did you use some sort of metal stamping machine?

by dynchel Fri Mar 08, 2013 12:01 pm

Just a hole saw and a drill. Very tedious, but it does look pretty trick or so I've been told. Thanks for the compliment.

by Joe73 Fri Mar 08, 2013 3:22 pm

I like the weight savings as well. I put my battery in the trunk years ago. I dont have a/c, no power steering and fiberglass hood.

I always wanted to get a 73 fiberglass front bumper and make an aluminum support for it. I would have cut the bumper in half right behind the license plate and had both halves chrome plated by a plastic plater. Then put an aluminum square plate behind the bumper and bolt both halves together.

I bought a front glass bumper years ago but when I got it it was a 74-77 style so I returned it. Then lost interest in the bumper project.

by dynchel Wed Jan 01, 2014 8:20 pm

The Dude wrote:Holy old forgotten thread Batman!

Laguna front saves weight? Get a fiberglass bumper or just gut the original. Base model 76-77 grilles weigh about 5 pounds IF that & don't radically alter the looks from a 74-75 metal grille. Probably more weight & cost savings that way. You did remind me to snap some pics of the tucked in bumper on my 76 though.

I am currently cleaning up / painting a '76 Malibu grille for my '74. One thing worth mentioning is if you do this you will need the grille support brackets from a '76/'77. The mounting points are different (there isn't "tabs" to bolt the grille to).

by switchbiker Thu Jan 02, 2014 7:36 am

Has anyone fitted up the 73' fiberglass nose, if so what issues if any did you run into? seriously considering buying one and installing it just as long as I won't have to spend several day fabbing brackets to make it work. I'd really like to be able to store away my un-damaged factory urethane part for safe keeping and lighten the car as a bonus. Also looking to find someone who can 3d print a replica grill in plastic and store the original away along with my frontend.

by driveit Thu Jan 02, 2014 12:25 pm

If you do it make sure and let us know how it turns out. I am wanting to do the same, but have never really done any fabrication.

by dynchel Thu Jan 02, 2014 12:40 pm

The main issue withe the fiberglass laguna nose is it has zero crash (impact) protection, even if you pull in the garage and accidently bump the wall you will be fixing fiberglass. Head Bang

by JB2wheeler Thu Jan 02, 2014 1:03 pm

If you install a fiberglass front end for anything except competition, you will be sorry. It's a pain to mount and it's almost like having it made out of cardboard. JB

by switchbiker Thu Jan 02, 2014 6:19 pm

JB2wheeler wrote:If you install a fiberglass front end for anything except competition, you will be sorry. It's a pain to mount and it's almost like having it made out of cardboard. JB

what are some of the issues I would have while mounting one? I don't really understand what you mean by saying it's a pain to mount, that's a subjective statement. Having a wife is a pain too but alot of guys still have one.

by JB2wheeler Thu Jan 02, 2014 8:05 pm

I am talking from a daily driver prospective. There are no inner fenders, dirt and grim get everywhere. Without frame to firewall reinforcements there is no stability for the front "sheetmetal" and the whole thing flops around in the wind. It would crack and split before you put 10,000 miles on it. It has to be lift off or hinged at the front and that hinge area is the only thing REALLY holding the thing down. Headlights and turn signals will take a lot of effort. JB

by switchbiker Thu Jan 02, 2014 8:25 pm

JB2wheeler wrote:I am talking from a daily driver prospective. There are no inner fenders, dirt and grim get everywhere. Without frame to firewall reinforcements there is no stability for the front "sheetmetal" and the whole thing flops around in the wind. It would crack and split before you put 10,000 miles on it. It has to be lift off or hinged at the front and that hinge area is the only thing REALLY holding the thing down. Headlights and turn signals will take a lot of effort. JB

I think you mis-understood what I was talking about, sorry bout that. I was only referring to the fiberglass bumper, not the entire front clip. Since the original urethane bumpers are getting hard to find, I would rather risk smashing a fiberglass part than to hurt the original at some point and not be able to replace it. like this: http://www.jegs.com/i/US-Body/277/FCEB-17/10002/-1?parentProductId=2861436

by driveit Fri Jan 03, 2014 1:04 pm

I have been thinking of doing just the bumper as you said.

by dynchel Wed Jan 29, 2014 11:20 am

[quote="The Dude"}

Some 77 models used aluminum drums. The aluminum drums can also be found on a wide variety of late 70 - early 80's vehicles for about 10 lbs of savings. quote="The Dude".......... Has anyone ever done this? I would like to (they are on eBay all the time) but they are usually for g bodys. Doing a cross reference on Napa prolink shows different part #'s for G3 drums and the newer G body's.

by sportster_restorer Thu Jul 30, 2015 12:42 pm

I've used the aluminum drums on several rear drum brake setups. Same as with cast iron drums, just make sure they are round and true. They interchange with no modification on 73-77, and in face I have a set on my 81 El Camino and 71 Camaro. So long as you're going to a 5 on 4 3/4" bold circle, they should drop right on. You do lose several pounds using them, but it comes from the wrong end of the car. But folks do use them to lose the weight.

They seem to be pretty hard to find in junkyards nowadays.

by sportster_restorer Thu Jul 30, 2015 12:52 pm

Here's some thoughts on weight loss that I'm looking to follow, for a predominantly street car:

Cast iron intake manifold------replace with aluminum
Cast iron water pump----------replace with aluminum
Cast iron front calipers---------replace with aluminum (aftermarket)
A6 AC Compressor-------------replace with Sanden 508
Cast iron master cylinder------replace with aluminum one from Jegs
Large brake booster------------replace with smaller,,,maybe S10?
Ditch the swivel buckets--------replace with something lighter,,,,3rd gen Camaro, MCarlo, Cobalt, etc (I know, lotsa folks love the swivels, but they weigh a TON, and can go into storage in case)
Steel Rally wheels--------------replace with aluminum (already done on my 74)
Large alternator----------------replace with newer smaller one
Stock A-arms-------------------replace with aftermarket (I'm not sure I'll lose weight on this one)
Stock spindles------------------replace with AFX aluminum (this one later in the program, due to cost)

My ultimate weight loss program-------------LS1

by Joe73 Thu Jul 30, 2015 1:35 pm

I'm thinking, how much would you save with changing your

compressor
master cylinder/booster
alternator.

I think it might be more cost /power effective, (since your changing your manifold already) to go with aluminum heads. That would be the easiest and most gain for a weight savings. And you get the extra power .

by sportster_restorer Thu Jul 30, 2015 1:46 pm

Aluminum heads are definitely an option and no doubt would drop some weight, and off the front end where its needed the most. But I was listing things that are pretty easy, Saturday afternoon type of things. Well, most.

by sportster_restorer Thu Jul 30, 2015 1:48 pm

Oh, and the A6 is incredibly heavy, and not very efficient. On my old 75 Laguna, I did the 508 swap and couldn't believe how much better the AC worked, how much smaller the 508 was, and how much it cleaned up the engine. With a GV head on the 508 that lets you use the stock lines, its also incredibly clean.

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