where to holesaw without reducing rigidity

[othtim]

Hi all.

Just wondering where you all are holesawing (or otherwise cutting up the body) without significantly reducing rigidity. I've put a few dimpled holes in the fenders, between where some dimples already were. but only two 1-3/4 inch holes. I didn't swiss cheese the crap out of it, or anything. I also put four 1-3/4 inch dimpled holes in the bottom of the rad support, because that are seemed pretty un-rigid. Those two places seemed benign. Anyone got any other suggestions?

 

[pontiacgp]

what are you trying to do?...if you box the frame and upgrade the factory welds you can remove the body without losing much rigidity

 

[othtim]

Factory frame. Boxing and/or caging is not available as the only place available for me to work is a small concrete pad, I can't take the body off. Looking to lower weight by cutting panels in locations where its not super noticeable and wont affect much. Also interested in where people have been bracing the car. Other than stock stuff and the well-knowns (like rear seat bracing and frame horns and such).

 

[pontiacgp]

There isn't much you can remove to affect the weight. The glass weights alot but the body metal isn't that heavy cause it's a full frame car. If you can get fibreglass hood and trunk lid that will help. What are you planning on doing with the car?

 

[othtim]

i plan to go faster. mostly in a straight line. but to corner somewhat well. power-limited, because i've already got this year's engine already mostly done. so now it's just about finding "free HP" in other places.

 

[pontiacgp]

we circle tracked a G body, we call them metrics, for years. The problem with these cars is they are *ss light and nothing in the front to remove to improve the weight bias. The engine sits too high and too far forward and the stock geometry in the front is not set up to go around corners. But I'm still not sure of what you want to do with the vehicle.

 

[Bowiemontecarlo86]

there is a place that sells fiberglass fenders also and lexan windshields and door glass as well as quarter windows .

 

[LS1GN]

I hear ya and I know what you're getting at.

I used a 2in holesaw and swiss-cheesed the steel inner bumpers. They are very heavy and seem redundant because of the very heavy chrome bumpers outside of them.

 

[79loserbluebu]

Rule of thumb in drag racing is .1 second for every 100lbs lost. You figure the hood doesn't even weigh half of that though. I don't think using a holesaw is going to do much for you

 

[pontiacgp]

so that means my car is 2.6 seconds quicker without me in it..