Why such a weight difference?

by The Dude Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:39 pm

OK, I'm looking for GVWRs & found this:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1973-1977-chevrolet-chevelle6.htm

In 1976 the Laguns S-3 weighed 200 lbs MORE than a v8 Malibu. Then jump to 1977 & the Malibu loses 100 lbs? But the real kicker is that the lightest year is 1973 which weighed in at 3,500 lbs for a V8 coupe. I guess I can understand the 73 being lighter since it was the first year & more smog equipment kept getting added through the years, but can anyone answer these 3 questions?

1. What makes a Laguna 200 lbs heavier than a similar equipped Malibu? Surely the nose & side louvers don't weigh that much.
2. How/why does the 77 wiegh about 100 lbs less than every similar equipped 74-76?
3. Quickest/cheapest way to go on a diet?

I want the 76 to weigh in at around 3,400-3,500 lbs. I know there's a way to cut the inner structure from the bumpers, & something about an inner door structure. Smog junk should cut me 20-30 lbs. Anything else? No gutting the interior either, that's cheating.

by IndyG3 Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:46 pm

1. The Laguna noses literally weigh about 200 lbs. They are a solid rubber design with what is pretty much a steel beam running through the middle of them, and the rubber itself is molded to be about 4 inches thick.
2. I have no idea why. They may have started using more plastic parts...
3. Buy fiberglass bumpers, fenders, and a hood. The doors do have some pretty hefty crash bars running through them as well, although I don't know how well the doors would stay together without the structural junk in them.

by The Dude Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:55 pm

I didn't know they weighed so much! Is the 80 lb front bumper still under there too? Or does this take the place of it? Never got under a Laguna to inspect it.

I might go fiberglass on the 73, but I don't want to risk it on my DD. Pretty much looking for inconspicous stuff even if it only saves me 10 lbs here & there. Anyone know for sure about removing the crash bar?

by IndyG3 Mon Jun 08, 2009 1:08 pm

On Lagunas, that big ol' rubber schnoz replaced the entire front end of the car. It was so thick and heavy because GM wanted the car to be able to survive low-speed collisions without taking too much damage.

I also wouldn't wanna run fiberglass on a DD either. All you really can do to lighten up a stock style Chevelle is take out the inner structures from both bumpers and get all the smog and safety junk out of them. These cars are just heavy by design or something!

by Limey SE Mon Jun 08, 2009 2:48 pm

indy my 74 laguna snout with the shocks and grill installed are only 161 pounds. I know this because i weighed it. the malibus front bumper from 73, 74 weighs in at 95 pounds with the shocks, 75 76 77 were considerably lighter.

And then you ad the 15 pounds a side for the fender ext (with the headlights installed) the the 18 pound pot metal grille, 18 pounds for the misc brackets and center piece for the grille. and other lil misc items bolts and such needed add another 10 pounds. we are looking at the laguna nose coming in at the same amount of the malibu front !!!

IndyG3 wrote:molded to be about 4 inches thick.

4" thick no way mine isnt even close to 2" thick

by Limey SE Mon Jun 08, 2009 3:23 pm

and to answer the questions why so much heavier.............

1. the sway bars are larger in diameter front and rear (prob adds about 30 pounds compared to stock)

2. the laguna's have larger diameter rear drums as well

3. most came with dual exhaust (hence the heavy duty cross member needed)

4. add the 4 barrel carb and the 4 barrel cast iron manifold, and added weight of the dual exhaust theres your weight difference

and from my resto pack from GM this guy is using the shipping weight not the actual weight

actual weight for the 74 chevelle is 3719 and laguna is 3951 for a difference of 232 pounds leaning towards the malibu classic

by IndyG3 Mon Jun 08, 2009 5:38 pm

I stand corected. lol!

by badbiscayne66 Mon Jun 08, 2009 6:03 pm

i built a 79 camaro drag car and removed the door beams......
i havent looked at the laguna but on canaro you could see spot welds beside latch so i cut aprox. 1 1/2 x 3 1/2 rectangular hole...
the other end inside door was flat and welded beetween skin and frame ...i cut it with torch close to the end and slid it out hole by latch...wieghed about 45 lbs (no wonder they sag).....Also before anyone says thats unsafe on street look inside a pickup door!!!!

by Limey SE Mon Jun 08, 2009 6:43 pm

you could probally lose 50 pounds in the laguna door (if not more) if you remove all that inners and the glass and i know what you mean badbis these cars have a very long door would hate to get t-boned in one OOOOOUUUUCCCCCHHHHHHHH

by BlackChevelleSS Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:31 am

the 73 malibu that you got now, weighed in at 3900lbs without driver. it had the iron headed alum intake 454 and th400 trans with the 9" convertor. No windows or regulators in the doors. Interior was bench seat, back seat and dash only. nothing in the trunk and all AC stuff removed. they are heavy cars. we probably removed 50lbs when we gutted that bumper and sunk it in!

by The Dude Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:37 am

BlackChevelleSS wrote:the 73 malibu that you got now, weighed in at 3900lbs without driver. it had the iron headed alum intake 454 and th400 trans with the 9" convertor. No windows or regulators in the doors. Interior was bench seat, back seat and dash only. nothing in the trunk and all AC stuff removed. they are heavy cars. we probably removed 50lbs when we gutted that bumper and sunk it in!

Wow.................

I guess a small block & buckets should knock it down some, but WOW!

by Limey SE Tue Jun 09, 2009 11:55 am

actually the buckets will add weight the swivels put them on a scale and find out how much they really weigh YOU WILL BE surprised, and take the seats them selves wow .................now compare just to springs and the outers braces for the bench and it will come in weighing much less (unless you go all out race seats) you will adding weight with the swivels buckets

by The Dude Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:24 pm

Not swivel buckets, I got some from one of my old Eclipses. When I put them in my Cutlass they weighed about half of what the old bench did that I took out.

by coreys73chevelle Tue Jun 09, 2009 6:58 pm

my build sheet says 4995lbs
not anymore though

by The Dude Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:37 pm

coreys73chevelle wrote:my build sheet says 4995lbs
not anymore though

That's the vehicle weight rating with maximum occupancy at 250 lbs/ person & a loaded trunk.

by BlackChevelleSS Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:26 pm

I was told that a big block th400 combo works out to be close to the same weight as a small block th350 combo with all the AC stuff....

by The Dude Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:11 pm

That don't make sense. The TH400 weighs about 15-20 lbs more than the TH350. Small blocks weigh about 150-175 lbs less than big blocks. All the air conditioning equipment doesn't add up to 200 lbs unless I'm forgetting something.

by BlackChevelleSS Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:33 pm

its about 120-160 lbs for the AC

by coreys73chevelle Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:05 am

dont forget all the AC/Heater vents and- the heater core is about 25 pounds alone

by The Dude Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:09 am

No that's still in there...... it is isn't it black? I'm just talking AC components only.

by coreys73chevelle Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:21 am

i removed all heater components, had no ac from factory, so my switch panel i made goes in the hole in the dash for the climate control was. and if you just start taking things apart the factory over does it with the bolts on a few things i have about 5 pounds of bolts i took off, quite a bit for small bolts.
also the big metal bar in the doors is 85 pounds (or so i was told by another g3 owner) that also will eliminate sagging doors and if you have no radio like me take out the speakers and ALL wiring for it, also the door buzzer and seat belt alarm wiring and that will also clean up the wiring.
the dash is one that is over bolted in mine was at least. also sink in the bumper, and get lighter suspension parts of course like control arms, springs and a lighter transmission crossmember. trim is heavy when combined mainly the emblums and on the door sides and bottom chrome. hood pins with locks so you can remove the pull system inside and the whole latch system under the hood, smooth out everything you paint by using a grinder like the frame i took about 1/8" off my frame in the engine compartment after i cleaned it, it takes a long time but its smooth and shiney and the big chunks of steel are gone, jegs.com sells aluminum transmission tunnels for around $80 big weight difference, wheel tubs that are lightweight, fiberglass, and lexan for the windows or 1/4 side windows at least, the factory brake system is heavy too get lighter calipers and rotors, remove the factory insulation its cardboard and tons of crap insulation and get some dynamat.
lots more too.

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