Weight Question
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,928
Likes: 55
From: Port Saint Lucie, Florida
Weight Question
From time to time an article will mention that due to the use of another
Material the part will save 10 lbs. Or the new model will be 125 lbs lighter!
What does all of this mean if anything? Also how much weight loss would a C5 need to make a difference?
I weigh 150 lbs say l race an identical vette only the driver weights 250lbs does this mean l have an advantage?
Or l have 2 gallons in my tank and the other guy has a full tank where a gallon of fuel weighs 8lbs.
This seems to me nothing more then mental masturbation!
Thanks
Material the part will save 10 lbs. Or the new model will be 125 lbs lighter!
What does all of this mean if anything? Also how much weight loss would a C5 need to make a difference?
I weigh 150 lbs say l race an identical vette only the driver weights 250lbs does this mean l have an advantage?
Or l have 2 gallons in my tank and the other guy has a full tank where a gallon of fuel weighs 8lbs.
This seems to me nothing more then mental masturbation!
Thanks
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,047
Likes: 43
From: Longview Texas
IIRC the rule of thumb is that every 100 lbs. = 0.1 in ET which in drag racing is a big difference. That is assuming of course that you're comparing apples for apples. Also, when you can remove reciprocating weight (axles, wheels, tires, cranks, ...) i.e. anything that moves and requires energy to spin you are gaining "free horsepower" since it would take less energy to move less weight.
Dig
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,465
Likes: 1,126
From: Port Saint Lucie FLORIDA & HONDURAS
I'm at a point once my DM kicks in and my Z is as fast as can be with a solid 60' time (1.3xx) I want to be 2850 lbs.
Weight makes a difference in ALL racing. I would suggest driving your car to the best of your ability FIRST then weight reductions
Weight makes a difference in ALL racing. I would suggest driving your car to the best of your ability FIRST then weight reductions
Last edited by 123sugey; Jan 26, 2013 at 10:10 PM. Reason: Misspell
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,956
Likes: 520
From: Da U.P.
It may not seem like much, but last time I weighed my car it only had 1/4 tank. I forgot the number, but I believe I calculated the weight to be, with a full tank, 3140#. Because of that I'm semi-obsessed with getting it below 3100# with a full tank. Headers, clutch, and battery seem like great ways to get there, but coughing up the money is another thing. If you're not racing for time, then you likely won't notice it just screwing off on the street. The buttometer isn't as sensitive as a dyno or 1/4 mile.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,240
Likes: 1
From: Orange County California
It may not seem like much, but last time I weighed my car it only had 1/4 tank. I forgot the number, but I believe I calculated the weight to be, with a full tank, 3140#. Because of that I'm semi-obsessed with getting it below 3100# with a full tank. Headers, clutch, and battery seem like great ways to get there, but coughing up the money is another thing. If you're not racing for time, then you likely won't notice it just screwing off on the street. The buttometer isn't as sensitive as a dyno or 1/4 mile.
put lighter seats in ;-)
I saved close to 40 lbs this way
fixed headlights will save you close to 20 lbs
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,240
Likes: 1
From: Orange County California
Haha....True Dat
I've shed about 180 lbs off of the running weight of my car, it helped acceleration, but more importantly, the whole car just feels more alive in every way, more agile around curves, braking, and accel...hard to describe, but it just really woke the car up as total driving experience.
haha...I'm sure a diet for my fat azz would do the same thing!
I've shed about 180 lbs off of the running weight of my car, it helped acceleration, but more importantly, the whole car just feels more alive in every way, more agile around curves, braking, and accel...hard to describe, but it just really woke the car up as total driving experience.
haha...I'm sure a diet for my fat azz would do the same thing!
Last edited by steven31371; Feb 26, 2013 at 10:49 PM.
