Just to clarify, What do you want out of your car in the long run? we were kind of assuming you wanted to lose weight and gain a bit of power, but I re read your first post and do you just want to clean up your engine bay? let us know what you want out of your car and if you have any sort of budget and we'll let you know any thing we can think of. also what motor do you have?
Lightening the load
- Thread starter gbody79
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Here's a spreadsheet of some of the changes I'v emade to lighten the car. This spreadsheet is very old and out of date (and incorrect) but it gives a general idea. Theres still a lot to do that I've not gotten to. Simple, cheap stuff., Like a lexan rear window. Or scraping off the excess seam sealer. Or coring the inner door panels (which I haven't updated the spreadsheet to reflect). But it's easy easy easy to remove 100 lbs from the car. You could probably remove 100lbs in an afternoon, withou7t speanding any money. Just paying attention to weight when you buy replacement parts also helps. For example, I bought a lowering kit - I chose shocks that weighed less than stock. Rear lowering springs also weigh less than stock. When I bought tires, I chose ones that weighed less than stock. Pay attention to what you buy. Also, sound deadening is super weight. And don't forget things like aluminum rear brake drums. I have a txt file with the interchanges if you want it. I haven't updated the spreadsheet in a while, but I've shaved over 200 lbs now. almost 250! and none of those parts were bought specifically for weight, they were all just regular parts I bought, but Iconsidered their weight when I bought them.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key= ... Tcmc&hl=en
Here's a list of things off the top of my head that you can remove to weigh less without spending any money. you may not want to do all of these, just some ideas:
after youre done removing parts, clean up the wiring harness to save a pound or two (like removing the wiring to the horn you aren't using anymore, or the AC system you removed).
----getting to minor cash/money mods (each costs like less than 5 bucks from a junkyard)
----And none of these mods will remove the "stock" appearance of your car.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key= ... Tcmc&hl=en
Here's a list of things off the top of my head that you can remove to weigh less without spending any money. you may not want to do all of these, just some ideas:
- * Brake dust covers
* EGR valve + hoses
* that big spacer under your q-jet carb (if you have one)
* beauty rings
* park brake
* emissions carbon canister
* inner fenders
* sound deadening
* AC system + piping. you can fab a block-off plate for basically nothing out of tin or what not.
* under-dash vents/wiring/sound dampening
* scrape seam sealer
* one of the two metal horns
* remove the secondary choke pull-off and cap it (and adjust the air valves)
* underhood fire blanket
* you can remove body bracing if youre more concerned about weight than handling
* you can remove the front sway bar if you're going to the track (1/4 mile that is)
* cut the factory aluminum air cleaner with a dremelt to make n open-element style, done right it can still look alright.
* Also, if you want to retain stock appearance you can just remove the thermac valve and pipe from the horn on the air cleaner. (also just an aside, the 88-ish bonneyvilles had a much better air cleaner design than the stock monte carlo or cutlass...)
* the brackets around the lights can be removed. behind the lights can be hole-sawed out
* chrome bits and emblems can removed
* You can also use a nibbler or grinder to cut out parts from non-load bearing panels. I nibbled 4lbs per door in about 30 minutes. just remember to prime over it after to prevent rust...
* remove the gas tank vent line to carbon canister, replace with breather
after youre done removing parts, clean up the wiring harness to save a pound or two (like removing the wiring to the horn you aren't using anymore, or the AC system you removed).
----getting to minor cash/money mods (each costs like less than 5 bucks from a junkyard)
- * cut the cat out and replace it with a peice of pipe - save 25 lbs.
* replace the factory jack/jackstand with lighter versions (if you want to keep them)
* replace the full-size spare with a donut
* factory air cleaner assembly with aluminum junkyard one
* two-peice steering cable and cruise control, can be removed and replaced with a one-peice cable (2 bucks at a junkyard, or 20 at canadian tire)
* factory fan can be replaced with a junkyard flex-a-lite fan (2 bucks)
* replace your glass lights with plastic lights (like a dollar a peice at a junkyard)
* lexan rear window
----And none of these mods will remove the "stock" appearance of your car.
I've done a couple things that take weight off such as fiberglass hood and aluminum wheels (are they lighter than steel? dunno 
) but most things ADDED more weight such as bodykit, big block engine, power seats, two massive amps in the trunk, air compressors for air ride, 2 x 35 lb. 10" subwoofers, dynamat whole car, big spoiler, etc... Damn my car's one heavy b*tch man lol.
IMO unless you're all out strip or pro street, weight saving is pointless. If your g-body is for crusing, daily driving, or street/strip or pro touring like mine, you won't notice the weight savings, unless you go into the details like othtim outlined (which is very detailed by the way, great info othtim).
) but most things ADDED more weight such as bodykit, big block engine, power seats, two massive amps in the trunk, air compressors for air ride, 2 x 35 lb. 10" subwoofers, dynamat whole car, big spoiler, etc... Damn my car's one heavy b*tch man lol.IMO unless you're all out strip or pro street, weight saving is pointless. If your g-body is for crusing, daily driving, or street/strip or pro touring like mine, you won't notice the weight savings, unless you go into the details like othtim outlined (which is very detailed by the way, great info othtim).
Got any pics of your Monte? BTW, Welcome to the site here..getting rid of the a/c set up is worth about 30 lbs....As far as getting rid of the power brakes, don't do it.......As far as the power steering, removing the power steeringt unit you will only save about 10 HP and 20 lbs at best...If it's a street car, keep the power steering. JMO Good luck with your project and keep us posted.
Man you guys know your stuff, thanks again for all the ideas. Iv'e had poison ivy for a week and haven't been tinkering with the monte or even coming on the here. To the dude asking for the box, it was already broken when I bought the car. And the motor is a 350 with a 350 TH and I got GN rear for it. I'll try to get pics up soon, i'm not to good with the computer. Anyone know a good aresol paint to paint my firewall?
You can use any kind of engine enamel for the firewall. Duplicolor is popular. Just make sure you clean it up real good first. A dual diaphram brake booster holds more vacuum. It's a good mod for engines using a really high lift cam where not enough vacuum is retained to allow for proper braking when idling ie. if you're at a traffic light and sitting there idling, you hit the brakes and it feels hard because there is not enough vacuum. Typical mod is to use an additional vacuum canister. This mod however is just using a bigger booster which holds more volume. Notice the 2 diaphrams in the pic (extra hump):
I just did this yesterday, painted the firewall that is. haha, awesome! glad to see youre cleaning up the engine bay 🙂 . I used tremcald rustoleum black gloss. It was too glossy, after I sprayed it down with some rustoleum clear to kind of "matte" it a bit and match it with the rest of the (aged-er looking) car.
gbody79 said:
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