Lightening a '95 chassis

MonsterTrosity · 05-09-2001, 10:52 AM

I'm sure most of you are well aware of how heavy this car really is. Has anyone gone through their car to see what can be removed to lighten it? I'm sure people have put on fiberglass hoods, and so on, but besides the obvious, what else can be done. Their is a lot of heavy steel that looks like it could be replaced with something lighter.

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MonsterTrosity

Mr 5 0 · 05-09-2001, 03:54 PM

Weight reduction is always a good way to increase performance but once you get past the obvious stuff you've mentioned it starts to get harder and affects the comfort level of the car.

If it's a street car then you have to draw the line somewhere and a fiberglass hood, aluminum radiator, driveshaft and removing the A/C and rear seat may be the most you can do. These items are worth a total of about 150 lbs. or so, maybe a bit more on a SN-95.

If it's a track car or serious street racer, then you can go with ripping out carpets, removing the stereo, aluminum heads, wheels, flywheel. Removing the fender liners and hood insulation helps a little, too.
Of course you'll have a noisy, hot, somewhat less comfortable Mustang, but it'll be no frills and you gain a few tenths. Up to you.

spinemup · 05-09-2001, 03:58 PM

the stock sn-95 hoods are fiberglass.....

you can get an aluminum driveshaft, aluminum heads, strip all the crap out of your trunk, etc etc.

MonsterTrosity · 05-09-2001, 05:27 PM

The hood is probably the first thing I'll do. It's relatively cheap, and drops alot of weight. Has anyone had a look behind the fenders? There are some prety heavy duty steel braces that I think could use some lightening up. Go ahead and have a look, if you hadn't yet. I think you'd be surprised. The bumper is another thing I would consider lightening. Need a prety heavy duty drill press for that one though.

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MonsterTrosity

blue00gt · 05-09-2001, 06:25 PM

Tubular K-member and control arms, coilovers, and hollow aluminum sway bar took almost 90lbs off the front of my '00 GT. Not a bit of understeer anymore. Also better weight transfer for launch.

05-09-2001, 10:52 AM	#1
MonsterTrosity Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Fremont, Ca. Posts: 48	Lightening a '95 chassis I'm sure most of you are well aware of how heavy this car really is. Has anyone gone through their car to see what can be removed to lighten it? I'm sure people have put on fiberglass hoods, and so on, but besides the obvious, what else can be done. Their is a lot of heavy steel that looks like it could be replaced with something lighter. ------------------ MonsterTrosity

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05-09-2001, 03:54 PM	#2
Mr 5 0 Conservative Individualist Join Date: May 1997 Location: Wherever I need to be Posts: 7,487	Weight reduction is always a good way to increase performance but once you get past the obvious stuff you've mentioned it starts to get harder and affects the comfort level of the car. If it's a street car then you have to draw the line somewhere and a fiberglass hood, aluminum radiator, driveshaft and removing the A/C and rear seat may be the most you can do. These items are worth a total of about 150 lbs. or so, maybe a bit more on a SN-95. If it's a track car or serious street racer, then you can go with ripping out carpets, removing the stereo, aluminum heads, wheels, flywheel. Removing the fender liners and hood insulation helps a little, too. Of course you'll have a noisy, hot, somewhat less comfortable Mustang, but it'll be no frills and you gain a few tenths. Up to you.

05-09-2001, 03:58 PM	#3
spinemup Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: middleboro,ma, usa Posts: 734	the stock sn-95 hoods are fiberglass..... you can get an aluminum driveshaft, aluminum heads, strip all the crap out of your trunk, etc etc.

05-09-2001, 05:27 PM	#4
MonsterTrosity Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Fremont, Ca. Posts: 48	The hood is probably the first thing I'll do. It's relatively cheap, and drops alot of weight. Has anyone had a look behind the fenders? There are some prety heavy duty steel braces that I think could use some lightening up. Go ahead and have a look, if you hadn't yet. I think you'd be surprised. The bumper is another thing I would consider lightening. Need a prety heavy duty drill press for that one though. ------------------ MonsterTrosity

05-09-2001, 06:25 PM	#5
blue00gt Mustang Addict Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: McKinney, TX Posts: 1,294	Tubular K-member and control arms, coilovers, and hollow aluminum sway bar took almost 90lbs off the front of my '00 GT. Not a bit of understeer anymore. Also better weight transfer for launch.