My Mav on the scales

I asked her what she weighed today and got slapped pretty hard. She weighs 3350 with me in it (180#) and a full tank of gas (100#). The good news is my Front to rear balance is 51.4/48.6 with a cross weight of 49%.

Ttl 3348

LF 884 RF 839
LR 811 RR 814

Front total 1721 51.4%
Rear total 1626 48.5%
Cross 1641 49%

I need to find a way to get her to drop a few lbs but Im not sure were to start and dont want to make any drastic changes like a full tubular front end. I'd prefer to remove weight from the front end and not the rear but theres not much I want to sacrifice up front. Ive already got Alu heads, intake and radiator. I want to keep my power rack/pinion and AC. Its got tubular upper and lower control arms as well as coil over shocks. I might replace my rad support with an aluminum one but I dont see that saving much weight. I could pull up the sound deadener (peal-n-stick) and go back in with lizard skin but thats a bunch of work and I'd only save 25lbs or so. Im planning on going to 18" wheels but the rumor is that will add weight over 17's. If I did all of these things and find a way to get a Carbon Cowl hood from MaverickMan (shipping issues) I might be able to shave 100 lbs off the car. That wouldnt be too bad. Anyone have any other ideas?

 

Sounds like you're not going to lose much more. Have you thought about moving the battery to the trunk. No savings bit it shifts the weight.

 

Thanks but its already in the trunk.

Im starting to wonder if the weight he put in the seat was really 180 lbs. Maybe he miscalculated. According to http://www.fordmaverick.com/yrtoyr.htm the 1972 Maverick weighs in at 2736. I've made quite a few weight saving mods and added weight to the rear and mid sections for added chassis stiffening. But the net added weight couldnt be 300+ lbs could it? My suspension system with added chassis components weighs maybe 250 at most but displaces 120 lbs. How much does a 9" weigh over an 8"? Thats another source of added weight.

 

If you were running circle track with your car, from your numbers, I would say get your battery into the trunk to get the LR number up, jack 2 turns into the LR, 2 turns into the RF, take 2 turns out of the RR and pick up the panhard bar. Get that cross weight up to at least 52% or you'll be loose in the turns

 

LOL

Curious and I didnt think about it until now but is RF and RR the Passenger side front and rear? From a balance standpoint should I try and get the LF and RF as equal as possible? I so I should raise the LF to add weight to the RF and raise the RR to add weight back to the LR. Hmm this gets confusing pretty quick.

 

The RF & RR are on the passenger side of the car. Right and left is determined by standing behind the car and looking towards the front. I figured that you were using a set of electronic scales and the cross weight is needed for circle track racing. Low % the car is loose in the turns - too much crossweight, it will push in the turns. Sorry I can't help you with what % you would be looking for on a street car. I do know more rear weight and less front weight is always desireable but you can't move your engine back in the chassis and that would certainly do it for you.

 

what about lighter heads ( not sure what you got up there )

or you can make up for the extra weight for extra H.P

 

Sounds a bit heavy to me??? I guess when you add the 9 inch,sound deadener etc. it adds up.

 

the hood seems to be the best option ,,,,

 

I would say trust your scale guy, trust the numbers. You have the right weight on the car with chassis stiffening and rear end, now just take the un needed weight out of the car.

Aluminum heads
aluminum intake
drag wheels
strip accesories
light weight brakes
racing seats
fiberglass hood
fiberglass deck lid
strip door bars
rear seat delete
strip sound deadening
fuel cell
lexan glass
aluminum drive shaft
fiberglass bumpers

 

Seems kinda heavy. Mine was right at 2980 with me in it, full tank gas, tool box, and slicks in the back seat.

I was 200 lbs at the time. So 2780 car alone.

 

An aluminum radiator would also be a big weight saving item. Other than the front bumper, that is the greatest weight that far forward in the chassis.

 

I've already gone thru the Engine comp and swapped out heads, intake, waterpump, and radiator for their Aluminum counterparts. Battery is in the trunk and the battery tray has been removed.

Its a family cruiser/auto-x car so creature comforts need to stay. I can drop 100 lbs pretty quickly with a hood, Aluminum core support, lighter racing seats, lighter wheels and removing excessive sound deadener.

Scoop, I'd love to see your car and find out how it could possibly be soo light. Maybe seeing a Mav close to stock config and comparing it to mine will help highlight where all this weight came from. I guess over the years of modding, all the "oh its just 10 more lbs's" has finally caught up to me. lol

 

All i have done that shaved weight was go small bumpers, alum radiator, and one 73 door that does not have the cross beam inside.

I have sound deadener under all carpet, inside quarters. I really was not attempting to lighten the car.

My weight was taken at a landfill ramp. I wasnt sure if it was accurate so i stepped on it without the car and it said i weighed exactly what my home scale said. So i assume the car weight was accurate.

 

Chris, this might seem like a dump question but did you zero the electronic scales prior to putting your car on them?