Bee Jay's heavy a$$ door weight reduction mods!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
Bee Jay's heavy a$$ door weight reduction mods!
I've been travelling, but I'm home for a couple of weeks. I decided to finally tear into the heavy a$$ door and see about losing some weight there. After removing the interior trim, you see that there is a almost a solid metal wall. Using my hole saw, dremell, and sawsall, I removed more than two lbs of uneeded metal panel. This gave me acess to the gaurd rail style door beam. Using my angle grinder, I cut the beam in two places and got about 80% of it out. What a pain in the ***. You have to be very paitient, especially when removing the beam in one piece. I shattered my passenger window. I should not have used that crow bar
. Any ways, the beam weighed over 8 lbs, so I removed 10 lbs from the door. Actually more than that if you count the window. So, where is the best place to get a '79 Corvette passenger side window. Once I replace the window, I'll weigh the door. Then I'll weigh the drivers door for an accurate comparison, and then lighten it. Don't worry, it should be easier the second time and I won't break the window. It will be the hardest 20lbs I ever lost, but I'm moving toward my 3000lb goal.
Bee Jay
. Any ways, the beam weighed over 8 lbs, so I removed 10 lbs from the door. Actually more than that if you count the window. So, where is the best place to get a '79 Corvette passenger side window. Once I replace the window, I'll weigh the door. Then I'll weigh the drivers door for an accurate comparison, and then lighten it. Don't worry, it should be easier the second time and I won't break the window. It will be the hardest 20lbs I ever lost, but I'm moving toward my 3000lb goal.Bee Jay
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,023
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From: Austin Tx
All that extra weight you are removing was added to the design in 1973 to provide additional passenger safety in an accident.
I wouldn't necessarily call it 'unneeded' - I wish my 72 had come with it!
I wouldn't necessarily call it 'unneeded' - I wish my 72 had come with it!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,666
Likes: 289
From: Spring Park MN
Bee Jay, your a mad man! That's a lot of work for a little weight. What do you have for a hood on that car. They lightened them in 80. I have had the hood off and on my 80 several times. It's fairly light. I just took the hood off the 75 for the first time to start fitting the Ecklers L88 hood. I about sh*t when I picked up the 75 hood. It has to weigh double what the 80 hood does and even more than that over the Ecklers hood.
With your bumpers gone and your side protection now gone, I hope you never get hit in that car.
With your bumpers gone and your side protection now gone, I hope you never get hit in that car.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,086
Likes: 22
From: Crystal Lake IL
St. Jude Donor '12-'13
BJ, You feeling ok? Cold weather got you down? Before you chop up your car anymore, maybe you should book a vacation somewhere. Anywhere. Just get out of the garage.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
Bee Jay, your a mad man! That's a lot of work for a little weight. What do you have for a hood on that car. They lightened them in 80. I have had the hood off and on my 80 several times. It's fairly light. I just took the hood off the 75 for the first time to start fitting the Ecklers L88 hood. I about sh*t when I picked up the 75 hood. It has to weigh double what the 80 hood does and even more than that over the Ecklers hood.
With your bumpers gone and your side protection now gone, I hope you never get hit in that car.
With your bumpers gone and your side protection now gone, I hope you never get hit in that car.
The bumpers were only good for 5mph front and 2 1/2 mph back. I'm now as safe as any pre '74 Vette.Yep, I gotta do something about the heavy hood soon. How does the 80 hood compare to the Ecklers aftermarket hood?
Bee Jay
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
Bee Jay]
PS I gotta have power windows, so I think I'm done with the doors. Unless someone makes a lightweight replacement for the power window motors. I save a ton when I replaced my starter with a new modern gear drive starter.
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,956
Likes: 409
From: California
buddy..... im speechless..... I..I......I...... speechless...
ps.... put in the steering bearing... 98% tighter then when you drove her.... I can tell now that the rest of the slop, is in the upper steering column bearing. next job......but much happier now...
o... and put in a 383....easy hp
Last edited by pauldana; Nov 24, 2010 at 06:27 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,666
Likes: 289
From: Spring Park MN
I hope I never get hit in this car either. But it's safer than getting hit while on my Harley. The bumpers were only good for 5mph front and 2 1/2 mph back. I'm now as safe as any pre '74 Vette.
Yep, I gotta do something about the heavy hood soon. How does the 80 hood compare to the Ecklers aftermarket hood?
Bee Jay
The bumpers were only good for 5mph front and 2 1/2 mph back. I'm now as safe as any pre '74 Vette.Yep, I gotta do something about the heavy hood soon. How does the 80 hood compare to the Ecklers aftermarket hood?
Bee Jay
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
Likes: 72
From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
Dang Bee Jay, that is getting serious about weight. Hats off to you for not being shy about modding, but between the two I think I'm more likely to loose the PW's than remove the side impact beams.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,053
Likes: 4
St. Jude Donor '03,'11
the both of you need aluminum blocks now. I have my rodeck sitting in the back yard waiting for me to build her.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,931
Likes: 962
From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
BeeJay: What does your side window weigh? I've heard the later glass is lighter (I obviously have the older, heavier stuff) and I'm curious if the difference is worth the cost and hassle.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
Likes: 72
From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 397
Likes: 1
From: Heartland
If you ever decide to sell it make sure you have it in writing that it's for off road use only.
Deliberate removal of safety equipment will become a nightmare lawsuit if something should happen with the new owners.
Beware of all lawyers above sea level !!!
Deliberate removal of safety equipment will become a nightmare lawsuit if something should happen with the new owners.
Beware of all lawyers above sea level !!!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
Bee Jay
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
Bee Jay
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
buddy..... im speechless..... I..I......I...... speechless...
ps.... put in the steering bearing... 98% tighter then when you drove her.... I can tell now that the rest of the slop, is in the upper steering column bearing. next job......but much happier now...
o... and put in a 383....easy hp
Bee Jay