The "what would you give up to save weight" thread.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,705
From: Oakland, California
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,132
From: Santa Clara, CA
You be the judge.
My brother's '99 Anniversary WS6 weighs almost exactly the same as my car despite having an engine at least 70 lbs lighter. The cars were weighed on the same scale at Englishtown within a minute of each other.
He has full power accessories. I don't. He has leather. I don't. I had big *** Global West SFCs and heavier than stock parts such as a Spohn floor mount torque arm and GW LCAs. He didn't. Both cars are manuals. Both cars had about the same fuel load. We even have the same cat back on the cars. I'm pretty sure his T-tops and rear wing don't weigh 70 lbs.
Given the fact my car was actually heavier than stock, I think it's safe to say that my car was lighter than his as delivered from the factory.
My brother's '99 Anniversary WS6 weighs almost exactly the same as my car despite having an engine at least 70 lbs lighter. The cars were weighed on the same scale at Englishtown within a minute of each other.
He has full power accessories. I don't. He has leather. I don't. I had big *** Global West SFCs and heavier than stock parts such as a Spohn floor mount torque arm and GW LCAs. He didn't. Both cars are manuals. Both cars had about the same fuel load. We even have the same cat back on the cars. I'm pretty sure his T-tops and rear wing don't weigh 70 lbs.
Given the fact my car was actually heavier than stock, I think it's safe to say that my car was lighter than his as delivered from the factory.
The motors on the seat (I only want driver's side) do add weight, but then you lose the lever mechanism, so the net might be 5 pounds, 7 pounds, whatever. I'll pay that.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 1998
Posts: 3,252
From: Knoxville, TN
The Camaro I want from GM is the Camaro they are willing to build, period.
Nothing else needs saying.
Bob
Registered User
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 2,801
From: Nashville, TN
I've not been here in months?
At some point you get tired of the broken record stuff.
Frankly I think it was premature and unnecessary to break the 5thgen sections into mutiple forums too, but I know why it was done (its easier to do now than later, as Jason & Chris would have to sort through and manually move thousands of posts vs a few hundred).
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 859
From: AR (PA born and fled)
We know the LS1 is xxlbs lighter than an LT1.
We know my car has no power options or leather.
We know my car had some components that are actually heavier than stock.
We know most other variables are as close as can be.
We know my brother's WS6 weighs almost exactly the same as my car.
We know that T-tops, the wing and the hood can't possibly account for the entire difference.
We can do the math. We can come up with an estimate.
I think 50 lbs is a conservative estimate for full power equipment with leather.
Short of gutting two cars and weighing the stuff, what would you suggest?
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,132
From: Santa Clara, CA
It doesn't?
We know the LS1 is xxlbs lighter than an LT1.
We know my car has no power options or leather.
We know my car had some components that are actually heavier than stock.
We know most other variables are as close as can be.
We know my brother's WS6 weighs almost exactly the same as my car.
We know that T-tops, the wing and the hood can't possibly account for the entire difference.
We can do the math. We can come up with an estimate.
I think 50 lbs is a conservative estimate for full power equipment with leather.
Short of gutting two cars and weighing the stuff, what would you suggest?
We know the LS1 is xxlbs lighter than an LT1.
We know my car has no power options or leather.
We know my car had some components that are actually heavier than stock.
We know most other variables are as close as can be.
We know my brother's WS6 weighs almost exactly the same as my car.
We know that T-tops, the wing and the hood can't possibly account for the entire difference.
We can do the math. We can come up with an estimate.
I think 50 lbs is a conservative estimate for full power equipment with leather.
Short of gutting two cars and weighing the stuff, what would you suggest?
I think your 50 pounds is way off, but we're both guessing. I think 5-7 is closer to 50. Neither can prove it. That's how useful the data is.
The material may be available in the Detroit public library (Skillman branch, I think). I have the data for my '71 Cutlass that specifies the weight of each option. But electric motors are so much lighter and cheaper now, that it would not apply.
But if you want to argue about 1971 Cutlasses or 442s, I have the data
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,132
From: Santa Clara, CA
If you don't like threads about weight, don't read them.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 859
From: AR (PA born and fled)
We accounted for the difference in engine weights.
We each have aluminum driveshafts (Mine is a 1LE shaft).
The transmissions are the same with regard to weight.
The axles are the same with regard to weight.
The wheels are the same size (I had my 17x9s on).
What else would have changed from '96 to '99 with regard to weight?
We accounted for his wing and hood.
The pop up lights might add 10 - 15lbs or so.
Our cars were within 10 - 15 lbs IIRC so don't think I'm cutting things that fine. For instance I don't know exactly to the gallon how much fuel each car had.
Ummm, that's the whole point... loaded versus stripped. Leather and power versus cloth and manual.
We accounted for the heavier aftermarket components I had on the car at that time.
Fair enough. Then why do you think his car weighs more than mine stock to stock?
(Remember they weighed the same even though I had some heavier than stock parts on my car. His car was and still is bone stock save for the aforementioned cat back)
We each have aluminum driveshafts (Mine is a 1LE shaft).
The transmissions are the same with regard to weight.
The axles are the same with regard to weight.
The wheels are the same size (I had my 17x9s on).
What else would have changed from '96 to '99 with regard to weight?
We accounted for his wing and hood.
The pop up lights might add 10 - 15lbs or so.
Our cars were within 10 - 15 lbs IIRC so don't think I'm cutting things that fine. For instance I don't know exactly to the gallon how much fuel each car had.
We accounted for the heavier aftermarket components I had on the car at that time.
(Remember they weighed the same even though I had some heavier than stock parts on my car. His car was and still is bone stock save for the aforementioned cat back)
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,132
From: Santa Clara, CA
We accounted for the difference in engine weights.
We each have aluminum driveshafts (Mine is a 1LE shaft).
The transmissions are the same with regard to weight.
The axles are the same with regard to weight.
The wheels are the same size (I had my 17x9s on).
What else would have changed from '96 to '99 with regard to weight?
We each have aluminum driveshafts (Mine is a 1LE shaft).
The transmissions are the same with regard to weight.
The axles are the same with regard to weight.
The wheels are the same size (I had my 17x9s on).
What else would have changed from '96 to '99 with regard to weight?
The level of accuracy in your guesses is far less than my guess and about the same as yours.
no power seats versus power seats. Cloth versus leather.
The total difference between a loaded and stripped car (same drivetrain and performance options) is probably around 100 pounds -- maybe half in T-tops. But that's another guess.
I don't know about wings, ground effects (remember the RS package?). Probably another 20-50 pounds of useless plastic (I'm not counting that above).
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 619
just as a reference, the stock 03-04 Cobra driver seat weighs 64 lbs. and the passenger side weighs 48 lbs. The driver side is power everything basically except for reclining. Passanger is all manual, no adjustable lumbar.
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 619
We accounted for the difference in engine weights.
We each have aluminum driveshafts (Mine is a 1LE shaft).
The transmissions are the same with regard to weight.
The axles are the same with regard to weight.
The wheels are the same size (I had my 17x9s on).
What else would have changed from '96 to '99 with regard to weight?
We accounted for his wing and hood.
The pop up lights might add 10 - 15lbs or so.
Our cars were within 10 - 15 lbs IIRC so don't think I'm cutting things that fine. For instance I don't know exactly to the gallon how much fuel each car had.
Ummm, that's the whole point... loaded versus stripped. Leather and power versus cloth and manual.
We accounted for the heavier aftermarket components I had on the car at that time.
Fair enough. Then why do you think his car weighs more than mine stock to stock?
(Remember they weighed the same even though I had some heavier than stock parts on my car. His car was and still is bone stock save for the aforementioned cat back)
We each have aluminum driveshafts (Mine is a 1LE shaft).
The transmissions are the same with regard to weight.
The axles are the same with regard to weight.
The wheels are the same size (I had my 17x9s on).
What else would have changed from '96 to '99 with regard to weight?
We accounted for his wing and hood.
The pop up lights might add 10 - 15lbs or so.
Our cars were within 10 - 15 lbs IIRC so don't think I'm cutting things that fine. For instance I don't know exactly to the gallon how much fuel each car had.
Ummm, that's the whole point... loaded versus stripped. Leather and power versus cloth and manual.
We accounted for the heavier aftermarket components I had on the car at that time.
Fair enough. Then why do you think his car weighs more than mine stock to stock?
(Remember they weighed the same even though I had some heavier than stock parts on my car. His car was and still is bone stock save for the aforementioned cat back)
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,132
From: Santa Clara, CA
Does it have the adjustable thigh bolster?
Other than the above, it sounds like a 6-way.
I'll take it even at 16 pounds (lumbar support could come in handy on those
long drives!).
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 859
From: AR (PA born and fled)
His car has dual airbags just like mine does.
The seatbelts are the same.
His exhaust manifiolds are actually lighter than mine.
We have mentioned the cat back several times.
I've already mentioned that we had the same wheels and tires. If anything, my wheels were a touch heavier since they weren't factory ZR1s.
I'm well aware what a gallon of gas weighs. Once again, I never said the cars were exactly the same weight. I never said I knew exactly to the gallon how much fuel each car had.
*tap, tap, tap* This thing on?
I don't have power seats. He does.
I don't have leather. He does.
All other options except his traction control are the same (cruise, defogger, etc).
We have made conservative educated guesses regarding the other variables.
This should give a reasonable estimate of the weights involved. Your problem seems to be that this doesn't jibe with your own idea of what this stuff weighs. That's fine. I have no problem being wrong but show me your data first.
With that said, I'm now on vacation. Enjoy the thread.
