Spider weight loss plan

[bluespider262]

Hi I'm looking for ideas to shed some pounds from my '79. Here's what I've come up with so far:

1. Exhaust - the stock cat, ANSA resonator, and ANSA muffler must be around 50 pounds combined. I was especially surprised at how heavy the cat was relative to other vehicles w/ newer honeycomb types I've worked on. Will remove all three and just run an aluminum triple-chamber muffler.

2. Battery - AGM type.

3. Rear seat bottom and rear will be removed & replaced with "package shelf" panels made from thin steel or aluminum. I'd like to put a couple of hinged doors on the bottom so I can use it as storage.

4. Aluminum radiator.

5. Remove the spare tire (except maybe longer trips) and wood trunk panels.

6. Front and rear bumpers. 100 pounds combined?

7. Replace steel wheels w/ alloy.

8. Poly seat replacements for the stock front seats.

9. Remove center/radio consoles.

Any other ideas?

[RRoller123]

Starter: Replace with a gear reduction starter, not sure of exact figures, but cuts a bundle of pounds, at least 10 or 15.

Aluminum radiator on mine went from about 17 pounds to about 8-1/4 pounds.

Lightened Flywheel went from about 18 pounds to about 8-1/2 pounds.

Aluminum Cam Wheels reduced about 10 pounds between the two.

[AriK]

During your floor restoration remove all that sound deadening material from the floor pans. You can hardly lift the garbage can after you're all done. There's more modern and lightweight materials it can be replaced with.

[Nanonevol]

Alloy wheels differ greatly in weight depending on the alloy. I have 3 magnesium alloy Cromodoras and 1 aluminum alloy copy and the copy is much much heavier.

[djape1977]

13" cromodoras are 7-10 pounds each, depending on model. nothing newer doesn't even come close

[TX82FIAT]

With the exception of lightweright seats and the heavy bumpers I've done the above. Probably should get rid of those huge bumpers... I know the day I take them off some idiot will hit me. Take all that 79 emmissions stuff off as well and give some consideration to the ditributorless ignition system.

[bluespider262]

During your floor restoration remove all that sound deadening material from the floor pans. You can hardly lift the garbage can after you're all done. There's more modern and lightweight materials it can be replaced with.

Yep already almost done. So far I've pulled at least 20 pounds of factory sound deadening, about ten aluminum panels with 70+ self tapping screws and an unbelievable amount of roofing tar out of the interior. The only thing worse than the factory deadening is roofing tar. At least the factory stuff comes out easily, relatively speaking.

[bluespider262]

With the exception of lightweright seats and the heavy bumpers I've done the above. Probably should get rid of those huge bumpers... I know the day I take them off some idiot will hit me. Take all that 79 emmissions stuff off as well and give some consideration to the ditributorless ignition system.

Yes I feel the same way about the bumpers but then again if someone hits me I don't think those bumpers are going to make the situation that much better either.

All my emissions stuff was removed when I did a 1800 intake/Holley 5200 swap.

[bluespider262]

Starter: Replace with a gear reduction starter, not sure of exact figures, but cuts a bundle of pounds, at least 10 or 15.

Aluminum radiator on mine went from about 17 pounds to about 8-1/4 pounds.

Lightened Flywheel went from about 18 pounds to about 8-1/2 pounds.

Aluminum Cam Wheels reduced about 10 pounds between the two.

Great suggestions thank you.

[johndemar]

How much do you weigh?

[carl]

I wanted to build a light weight spider for the street but started with a gutted 73 spider. The only electrics were the gauges, fuel pump, brake lights, ignition and charging system on a home built wiring harness. No center console, no carpets, no sound deadening, no back seat, just the two bucket seats with a painted floor. No heater, no wipers, no top, aluminum door panels. I was even going to remove the door glass but that seemed rather silly unless I kept the car in the garage all the time. I slowly added back the heater wipers top and headlights since I didn't want questionable weather to keep me from driving it on club drives (DCfiats has drives all year long. And I do have a roll bar which is adding weight back in. Oh yea, have two Webers (IDFs) so I'm carrying the extra weight of an additional carb.

On later spiders if you are not removing the heavy bumpers then you are not serious about weight reduction.

carl

[v6spider]

Boy sounds like your splitting hairs to me.. Build more power.. Don't worry about weight is pretty light already.. Could always get fiberglass trunk, door skins and hood. Like the Abarth..

Cheers!
Rob

[bluespider262]

Says the guy with the v6.

Yeah I know, but there comes a point where squeezing out another 10HP is really costly vs. shedding pounds in these cars. There's not a lot of cars where you can realistically accomplish a 10% weight reduction like these.

Why did you ditch the Fiat DOHC for a 4.3L? I'm guessing because $2000 into that DOHC vs. $2000 into a 4.3 doesn't make sense from a dollars vs. power perspective. I have a 5.7L in my Jeep Wrangler for the same reason. I could have thrown thousands at a Jeep inline six but it still would have only made 2/3 the power of a 350. For me the 350 ended up being cheaper in the end, even with the other swap logistics considered.

[v6spider]

Says the guy with the v6.

Yeah I know, but there comes a point where squeezing out another 10HP is really costly vs. shedding pounds in these cars. There's not a lot of cars where you can realistically accomplish a 10% weight reduction like these.

Why did you ditch the Fiat DOHC for a 4.3L? I'm guessing because $2000 into that DOHC vs. $2000 into a 4.3 doesn't make sense from a dollars vs. power perspective. I have a 5.7L in my Jeep Wrangler for the same reason. I could have thrown thousands at a Jeep inline six but it still would have only made 2/3 the power of a 350. For me the 350 ended up being cheaper in the end, even with the other swap logistics considered.

My V6 puts out over 300hp and over 325ftlbs of torque! It cost me $2500 to build.. It is a clear choice for me.. My total intention was to build this car with the gnarly v6 from the very beginning.. To build the kind of power I'm getting in a twin cam would cost double what i spent.. Lol not to mention the sound of the big roller cam in the v6 is just awesome.. People see my car and dig it right out of the gate.. I have yet to get a negative response.

Cheers!
Rob

[beater]

I think this is kind of like cyclist that want to have the lightest bike possible but are carrying 20 pounds themselves they don't need LOL ! Seriously you spend all the money making your Spider lighter and then a buddy jumps in and you are back where you started. Let's face it these are fun cars to drive but short of a power plant swap or gobs of money into the original engine it is what it is.