I weighed my mouse motored, Muncie gearbox, ragtop today. I was stunned at the digital readout...3320 pounds with half tank fuel.

According to Chevy spec sheets a base 1969 convertible is listed as either 3220 or 3250 pounds.

The only upgrade additions are a Lakewood blowproof bell, Vertex magneto, a spreader bar and SharkBar. Steeroids rack & pinion and the OEM power brakes.

Subtractions are aluminum intake, H2O pump/pulley, header sidepipes. The steel fan blade and clutch were swapped for a plastic Zirgo electric fan. The emissions stuff was removed ages ago. EDIT: I also removed all radio components.

I thought I was under the listed curb weight for sure. It needs to go on a diet but short of replacing the iron heads for aluminum, I don't see a way to do so.

Am I being **** about 3320 pounds? What's your C3 weigh?

 

with me (150-160) my Big block 69 ragtop showed 3600 at the truck scale. composit rear spring heavier sway bars. keisler 5 speed, dewitts al radiatior w dual electric fans.. no ac no pw no pb.

Ron

 

My 76' with me in it ( I weight 230) tipped the junk yard scales at 3,400. Couldn't get anything exact at the junkyard, though. They said it was accurate within a few hundred pounds, lol. I have 2000 vette wheels with aluminum adapters, no AC, no spare or holder, aluminum intake, and glass springs.

I was not very surprised. These cars are heavy, though considered light for their day.

 

A v8 nova weighs 3,200.At 3,300 that's not that bad.

 

It just figures I'd search out DeWitts and find a thread titled "overweight"! Been fighting the battle of the bulge for years, and losing.

Btw, the aluminum radiator and dual fans is just about the same weight as the copper radiator. So that ones is a wash

 

IIRC the LW bell weighs 40'ish while the OEM bell weighs about 8 (not that I recommend the latter for any high-perf application), so there's a big chunk right there. FWIW, QT's (SFI) bell is 22#, tho it does cost a bit more. Saving my pennies for one as we speak.

 

GM had been making a number of partial-frame or semi-unibody cars by the time the C3 arrived, which is a 'full frame' car where the body performs no structural function. Fiberglass is NOT particularly light, therefore, C3's are heavy cars. My '67 Mustang vintage racer is around 2500 lbs by comparison and had very little trouble keeping up with Vettes of much greater displacement in spite of its smallish (302) motor. Dick Guldstrand was well-known for having one of the faster SCCA Corvettes on the west coast in the '60s and he was pretty aggressive with a holesaw. It still amazes me how many people still think that these cars were "advanced for their time" when if one really examines the automotive state of the art in the mid-60s it's quite plain that they weren't. Lotuses, Jaguars, and some Ferraris and Lamborghinis were, but the C3 was really a case of GM adapting some cheaply producible semi-sophisticated technology (4-pot disc brakes, fiberglass body, and very simple IRS) with existing hardware (engine, front suspension, and boat-anchor chassis) to create a beautiful, AFFORDABLE sports car that (with the right engine) also had brutal acceleration. As an illustration of just how heavy fiberglass is, Jim Hall (whose Chaparrals were supported generously by Chevrolet) abandoned the plastic chassis for his Can-Am cars in 1966 and went with an aluminum monocoque tub which was quite a bit lighter...

 

Maybe the weight listed originally by GM is a dry weight. No oil, coolant, fuel etc.

 

I haven't weighted my 69 BB but i think it's around 3400lbs.
not light but not that bad if compared to many modern cars : my Boxster weights not that much less and many sportcars (Ferrari and also the C6 Z06 ) are about there .Or am i wrong?

 

Unless you're spending 100% of your time at the drags , I wouldn't worry about 70lbs.

 

I think my 78 L48 car is rated at 3700 pounds. THAT is only 200 less than a late 80's F body Camaro/Firebird. i've been told that the inner doors are a great place to lose some weight, if you dont mind cutting some metal out of your doors.

 

Looks like I just learned a few things about curb weight's on some of the cars today. Wasn't aware on how light the ealier mustings were, but checked and it's 2500-2800 lb, depending on engine and options. Never knew 78' Vettes were so heavy either, but spec's show 3600 lb. Where the heck did all that weight come from anyway. Guess it just go's to show what a marvel the C6 ZO6 is. Huge tires, brakes and 3130 lb.

 

light means fast. the fastest car i ever owned only had 360rwhp, a 1965 beetle that weighed only 1600 pounds LOL but yeah, the lighter you are, the faster you can go and the better the car will handle. because my 78 is in such bad shape with no original motor or trans it is going to go on a serious diet. i may even eventually go with an aluminum block LS motor once i get my K1200LT sold.

 

Don't take it so hard.A new Camaro or Challenger weighs in right around the 4300 pound mark...

 

Yea, I dont understand the whole bigger is better thing myself. There are a few more demands on modern vehicles such as better chassis to meet crash standards, but these things just dont need to be so big. This applies to light trucks too, as the late model Ford F-150 square boxes are big as mountains. Someone seems to be forgetting about upcoming fuel milage standards. Still curious where all that extra weight in 78' Vettes comes from.

 

The '78s were the first to use the big piece of glass in back. Glass is surprisingly heavy, I'm guessing the rear glass and associated hardware and trim is where alot of the weight comes from.

 

With all the gov't. mandated smog/safety crap on the car that Z06 still needs an aluminum chassis and carbon body panels to get the weight down THAT low! Computers, power everything, miles of extra wiring, sound deadener, it all adds up...

 

According to Chevy spec sheets a base 1969 convertible is listed as either 3220 or 3250 pounds.
Am I being **** about 3320 pounds? What's your C3 weigh?

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I weighed my '71 LS6 M22 coupe, factory options include PS, PB, Tilt/Tele, Rear Defrost, AM-FM stereo. Certified weight with empty fuel tank and me OUT of the car was 3340 lbs.

 

Yea, I know some things about this, as actually own the car. Even with all these high tech materials, the standard steel frame C6's are only 100 lb more, so proves it can be done. You forgot to mention the magnesium structure parts on the ZO6. I sometimes do work for GM, where seminars are given. Was one on magnesium that had several parts spread on a display table. Including a V6 engine block I could easily pick up with one hand. The rep said no cylinder liners were needed, but coolant attacking the metal was a real problem. As for the rear glass. My C6 has a nice big rear hatch too.

 

Its interesting that the few American intermediate and full size cars that were available in the 60's, if initary (moncoque) bodied as would generally be significantly heavier than the equivalent chassied vehicle (TBird & Lincoln donor for example). Many people who presume C2/C3 Corvettes are lightweight when they realise they have a 'glass body are surprised to know the weight. It think any comparison with European 'glass bodied cars from this (and any) period are flawed as many of these were built down to weight and are very fragile (i.e. Lotus) hen I was in to big block Fords my 428 Galaxie 7LTR (chassis) weighed in about 3800 lbs or so - a 428 CJ Mustang (initary) from the same period was probably 100 lbs or so less - yet my Fairlane 390 GTA (initary and perhaps larger than a Mustang) weighed a mere 3400 lbs or so.