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Originally posted by ContourSVT98:
Originally posted by svt4stv:
definitely the cheapest way, although not the quickest or easiest 
isnt there some "rule of thumb" that for every 100 pounds removed you shave about 1/10th of a second? i could have sworn i read that somewhere...(could be wrong) not worth driving around in a stripped car IMHO. weight reduction can save on gas, though im not sure it would be significant.
So its like if I was to arrive to my nearest 7-11 in 2 seconds sooner. WOW! 
-dan
if you're going to 7-11 you're probably just going to end up adding weight! donuts, slurpee, chili dogs, beer, chips, etc... 
not to mention, to shave 2 seconds off of your time would probably require you to replace your engine with 3cyl. Geo motor or maybe even just a hamster wheel. It would take A LOT of weight reduction to reduce that much time.
weight reduction is an excellent addition to hp/tq mods. i read a great article in R&T (I think?) a few years ago about some prince who had the entire front end of his F355 replaced with CF. hood, bumper, fenders to reduce weight. he also changed the suspsension and did some go-fast mods. they (editor) said everythng that was done made a huge difference. that wasn't for dragging but for street and course driving. less weight means less for the car to move, plain and simple. if anything, some stuff you do to your car may add weight, or slow you down, and you may just even out. 
Originally posted by Tourgasm:
Sometimes you can mess up a word so bad that spell check doens't know what the hell you're talking about.
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Originally posted by svt4stv:
If anything, some stuff you do to your car may add weight, or slow you down, and you may just even out.
yeah, like those [censored] turbos. damn i hate turbos 
~Andrew
2001 VW Jetta Wolfsburg Edition
20 valves of fury
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Originally posted by Pimpalicious316:
Originally posted by svt4stv:
If anything, some stuff you do to your car may add weight, or slow you down, and you may just even out.
yeah, like those [censored] turbos. damn i hate turbos
~Andrew
You don't turbos? 
How about super chargers? 
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I don't buy 250 lbs or 300 lbs for a second! Hell not even 200 lbs.
I don't even buy them losing as much weight as an SVT.
Why is that?
The SVT's have a heavier spare tire for one when compared to the 14" & 15" cars.
SVT rear seats are slightly heavier due to the covering on them (likely an leather optioned SE matches the weight)
The most weight reduction (not including fuel) I could get without stripping out interior cabin panels or the passenger seat was 91 lbs.
This was done on digital corner scales. It doesn't get any more accurate.
This doesn't include any weight saved from previous modifications either.(battery, no pre-cats, No y-pipe, custom exhaust, multiple brackets removed, etc) I saved quite a bit there!
The passenger seat weighs about 10 lbs. The inner cabin panels even less then that. So figure maybe 105-110 lbs with a fairly gutted interior. Yeah. 
For ref - The rear seat bottom is really not worth removing. It weighs well under 8lbs. Cloth ones even less.
You get the bulk of your gains from the spare & jack, the rear seat backs, and amount of fuel. That's it.
Fuel weight is about 100 lbs for a full tank. So say 40 lbs with just under 1/2 a tank.
That means fully stripped with 1/3 tank a "heavier" SVT sheds about 150-165 lbs.
My figures for normal street trim with a full tank & driver: 3200 lbs
Race weight with 1/2 tank & driver: 3070 lbs
That's 130 total pounds lighter and 50 lbs is fuel weight reduction.
2000 SVT #674
13.47 @ 102 - All Motor!
It was not broke; Yet I fixed it anyway.
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How much does the hood weigh? Removing that would have two advantages; weight and engine/intake cooling.
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Originally posted by TronX:
Originally posted by Kremithefrog:
I think he means the top cover. I don't have one. And I think he means just lowering the front end weight for a bit better balance. Demon, you know all about that, you've done it yourself.
ROFL! I was trying to figure what I said that made him trip all over my post? Kremithefrog has it right on the money.
There is no such thing as a top cover for the TIMING CHAINS on a Duratec engine.
Matter of fact there is no TIMING BELT on the Duratec either.
There is a "front cover" that is an integral part of the engine assembly. Hence why removing it would be fatal and why I responded as such.
Also about your post Tronx; it stated cutting out sheet metal to lower the weight of the front end.
THAT SAYS AND MEANS NOTHING about lowering the center of gravity. That is a cheap drag racers trick to get better weight transfer to the rear wheels. Again hence why I responded as such.
Also to respond to the second thought, "indiscriminately" cutting weight out from below the center line RAISES the center of gravity which is detrimental to handling and performance. Other modifications should be done to counter these affects.
Nice try to cover it up but you just need to cut your loses at this point...
I tripped over nothing but horrible advice that has nothing to do with the original post (weight reduction for a FWD Duratec powered Contour) or really anything on this site for that matter.
2000 SVT #674
13.47 @ 102 - All Motor!
It was not broke; Yet I fixed it anyway.
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Originally posted by ChattavegasSE:
How much does the hood weigh? Removing that would have two advantages; weight and engine/intake cooling.
Also one VERY LARGE disadvantage.
SEVERE DRAG!
2000 SVT #674
13.47 @ 102 - All Motor!
It was not broke; Yet I fixed it anyway.
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Originally posted by DemonSVT:
Originally posted by ChattavegasSE:
How much does the hood weigh? Removing that would have two advantages; weight and engine/intake cooling.
Also one VERY LARGE disadvantage.
SEVERE DRAG!
 D'oh! I've never had a fast enough car where that would be an issue.
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I have no life
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I have no life
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Originally posted by DemonSVT:
Originally posted by TronX:
Originally posted by Kremithefrog:
I think he means the top cover. I don't have one. And I think he means just lowering the front end weight for a bit better balance. Demon, you know all about that, you've done it yourself.
ROFL! I was trying to figure what I said that made him trip all over my post? Kremithefrog has it right on the money.
There is no such thing as a top cover for the TIMING CHAINS on a Duratec engine.
Matter of fact there is no TIMING BELT on the Duratec either.
TronX has a zetec, which does have a top cover and a timing belt.
So you're saying the scale I used is roughly ~100lbs off? Or you just don't believe me? Either way I saw what my car weighs and I believe it to be close to what I saw (not completely accurate of course, but no more than 5-10lbs off).
And I thought a gallon of fuel is about four pounds, so less than 60lbs for a full tank.
98.5 SVT
91 Escort GT (almost sold)
96 ATX Zetec (i brake to watch you swerve)
FS: SVT rear sway bar
WTB: Very cheap beater
CEG Dragon Run - October 13-15
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Originally posted by DemonSVT:
I don't buy 250 lbs or 300 lbs for a second! Hell not even 200 lbs.
I don't even buy them losing as much weight as an SVT.
Why is that?
The SVT's have a heavier spare tire for one when compared to the 14" & 15" cars.
SVT rear seats are slightly heavier due to the covering on them (likely an leather optioned SE matches the weight)
The most weight reduction (not including fuel) I could get without stripping out interior cabin panels or the passenger seat was 91 lbs.
This was done on digital corner scales. It doesn't get any more accurate.
This doesn't include any weight saved from previous modifications either.(battery, no pre-cats, No y-pipe, custom exhaust, multiple brackets removed, etc) I saved quite a bit there!
The passenger seat weighs about 10 lbs. The inner cabin panels even less then that. So figure maybe 105-110 lbs with a fairly gutted interior. Yeah.
For ref - The rear seat bottom is really not worth removing. It weighs well under 8lbs. Cloth ones even less.
You get the bulk of your gains from the spare & jack, the rear seat backs, and amount of fuel. That's it.
Fuel weight is about 100 lbs for a full tank. So say 40 lbs with just under 1/2 a tank.
That means fully stripped with 1/3 tank a "heavier" SVT sheds about 150-165 lbs.
My figures for normal street trim with a full tank & driver: 3200 lbs
Race weight with 1/2 tank & driver: 3070 lbs
That's 130 total pounds lighter and 50 lbs is fuel weight reduction.
100 lbs for a 12 gal tank of gas? Planning factor for JP-8 is only about 3 lbs/gal, and that's closer to diesel. You're talking around 9 lbs/gal?
And besides, Kremit had some other "add-ons" that he took out. Let's see, if I count baby seats, work papers, lunchbox, empty pop cans and nutri-grain wrappers, and other assorted detritus in my "before" weight, I might see a big difference, too.
Function before fashion.
'96 Contour SE
"Toss the Contour into a corner, and it's as easy to catch as a softball thrown by a preschooler." -Edmunds, 1998
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