Front half weight W/BB and SB Olds

[442Lou]

Hello all,

I'm currently in the process of trying to purchase a set of drag springs for the front of my car, but in order to correctly do so, I need to know the front weight of my car. Unfortunately, I don't have access to a scale that can tell me the weight of each corner of my car along with the front and rear weight percentage.

I was wondering if anyone here who has a similar set-up to mine knew what that weight might be just to give me a ball part estimate. I'm currently building a pretty badass small block Olds for it, so if anyone has this info, but with a small block that would be great as well.

At the moment, my car is a full bodied '86 cutlass with a big block Olds 455. Total, the car weighs just over 3800lbs

Thank you in advance!

 

[88hurstolds]

https://gbodyforum.com/threads/front-half-weight-w-bbo-and-sbo.55631/

 

[88hurstolds]

Dam, dude... why three posts in different sections , impatient much???
Remember a simple Google search will answer any question you have...
Factory SBO and BBO weights are virtually the same, only a 60# difference that can be basically canceled with an aluminum intake.
Weights from my '87 442 door jamb sticker:
GVWR 4559lbs
GAWR FRT 2295lbs
GAWR RR 2264lbs
GM designed these cars to be even front and rear for safety purposes after the disaster with the Corvair...

 

[442Lou]

Thank you for responding. It's not that I'm impatient, the same question just pertained to three different sections. That, and I really just wanted to get as much feedback as possible. So, my apologies.

In regards to your response though, are you positive that your GVWR is accurate at 4559#? I ask because that seems really high.

 

[jetsetw31]

GVWR on the sticker is not the Curb weight of our cars. I weighed mine a while back with a 350 Olds and the 2004r transmission and had 3537lbs. 57.9 front and 42.1 rear. my gas tank was just over 3/4 full. I hope this helps.
Question. Do you have drag shocks on the front of your car? I'd try those out before using drag springs. Also is your car hooking? And is your frame braced?.
A 455 will twist your frame just before the car moves forward if (it hooks). The Gbody was not designed to handle that kind of torque. So you have to brace and stiffen your frame up to hold up. I've seen rear spring pockets rip from the factory frame welds on Gbodies racing with small blocks, So with a 455, you better put frame work on your list. Friendly advice.
T

 

[rccktmn2]

I am currently running a 455 in an 84 cutlass with a th350, moroso front "trick springs" for a big block and 3 way adjustable shocks. I currently have no frame bracing or boxed but I do have a 6 point cage which helps a lot. The entire goal for the springs and the shocks is for weight transfer to get the front of the car up and the weight to the rear tires, your weight on the front end and corners of your car will help you find instant center of your car and figure out a lot of other things. Mine sits a little low in the front but looks good, I also have the moroso trick springs in the rear and 3 way adjustable shocks in the rear also. IMO I would use the moroso trick spings in the front again but go with a variable rate spring in the rear so it sits level.

 

[454cutlass]

Rccktmn2 what trick springs are you running. Had a set of trick springs but was running on the bump stops. 454 in a cutlass

 

[williamattop]

In regards to your response though, are you positive that your GVWR is accurate at 4559#? I ask because that seems really high.

IIRC The GVWR is the max capacity rating that was givin. Not the the actual weight.

3800 sounds like a tank full of gas and a trunk full of tools to me. Thats on the heavy side even for a big block G body IMO.
As stated above the engine weights do not vary by much. To the aluminium intake, I would add battery relocation and you should be right where you were(or under) with the stock motor. So then suggested drag springs for a small block would be my choice.

 

[rccktmn2]

Rccktmn2 what trick springs are you running. Had a set of trick springs but was running on the bump stops. 454 in a cutlass

http://www.jegs.com/i/Moroso/710/47205/10002/-1

These are the springs I am running, definitely not on the bump stops, it does sit about an inch lower in the front but I like it.

 

[truracer20]

A pre 1977 aluminum intake 350 weighs 590 lbs dressed, no AC and an aluminum intake 455 weighs 625 lbs dressed, no AC.