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97 Cobra Weight Reduction Pics.

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#61 ·
if u get a tubular kmember from somewhere else, u can delete the kmember from ur order from Hellion
 
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Discussion starter · #62 ·
HBK_2007 said:
if u get a tubular kmember from somewhere else, u can delete the kmember from ur order from Hellion
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So theirs isnt any different than a normal K member? I was wondering about that thinking perhaps theirs was special for their equipment or something.

I'm totally going for the SLA front. I didnt think it actually was superior but instead more for weight reduction for straight line cars. Somehow I made it this far without ever learning about the different front end setups :eek:

I was kinda focusing on better handling to begin with when I started my weight reduction frenzy so that makes me even more excited to get this car finished.
 
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Discussion starter · #64 ·
jlaw98gt said:
sounds like you have big plans for this car... very interesting thread...you seem to know your ****...
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Thanks for the interesting comment.

As for me I'm still learning quite a bit every day. The 4v Cobra was an entirely different beast than the 2valve I built up previously.

Just trying to build a car that has excellent straight line performance yet amazing handling as well. Stock suspension with just the weight reduction has yielded a very fun car as is.

As for plans..... well I'll be happy with anything sub 11 seconds in the 1320. I think my build will possibly reach high 9's if I can drive :)

My short term plans are 4.56 gears and more reduction with cf hood, trunk, fenders, and doing something about the dash.

I have a few ideas about removing the AC and setting up a few fans with a mist interval and switch to control it all. I'm trying to think outside the box a bit in regard to a makeshift air conditioner that doesnt draw from my motor. With no audio system or speakers I have much more electrical capacity anyway.

Thanks again for the comment. Take care.
 
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#66 ·
i never even use my A/C. i saw a thread on turbomustangs.com about a guy with a pre99 cobra that he was making cf body panels for, i will see if i can find it
 
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#68 ·
acidtonic said:
I have a few ideas about removing the AC and setting up a few fans with a mist interval and switch to control it all. I'm trying to think outside the box a bit in regard to a makeshift air conditioner that doesnt draw from my motor. .
Click to expand...
Rather than adding and extra fluid system, which goes against your weight reduction and simplification, I'd look into Peltier coolers. (Thermoelectric cooling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). I've heard of one instance where several of them were "stacked" to create a lightweight, simple A/C system. I couldn't find a whole lot of information, but here's one article about it: Peltier chip air conditioners | Geek.com
 
Discussion starter · #69 ·
ReverendDexter said:
Rather than adding and extra fluid system, which goes against your weight reduction and simplification, I'd look into Peltier coolers. (Thermoelectric cooling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). I've heard of one instance where several of them were "stacked" to create a lightweight, simple A/C system. I couldn't find a whole lot of information, but here's one article about it: Peltier chip air conditioners | Geek.com
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Thanks for the info. I've actually been thinking about these. In a previous job we had them for cooling the liquid in a water cooler used in pc overclocking.

Only problem is they arent very efficient and quite pricey. I'm curious how to get their output into a cold stream of air though as they are mainly contact coolers. The needed radiator would still be much heavier than a couple fans.

I would love to hear more ideas if there are any. Being able to run A/C without any loss of power would really make my next summer :) I pretty much sweated it out until the last month when I said screw it and put the A/C back in the car.
 
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#70 ·
acidtonic said:
Wow thats a great idea. Never crossed my mind. I wonder how much weight that would add back?
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I dunno but if you think it would add too much then you can consider a black primer.. It probly wont grip as good as the rino liner but it would do the job nonetheless.. I thought about doing it to the 98 and drilling holes in the floor so I could clean it out with the water hose.. lol

With racing buckets and no fabic of anykind you would just be able to spray it out.. You could also take out the fuel tank and get a fuel cell deep enough to use the stock fuel pump.. The fuel tank is so easy to take out and you could get 2 fuel pumps then when you go out to the track or just to street race you get change out the tank for the cell.. These were all my plans for my 98 but I think I am just gonna sell it instead because I can just focus on the Mach 1 now..
 
#71 ·
Your weight mentioned earlier may be a little off, but probably not that much. My 97 weighed 3300 with my 240lb ass in it and it wasn't nearly as gutted as yours. I still had carpet, rear seat delete, and corbeau race seats in mine. I had removed front swaybars, strut tower brace, lightweight battery, bogarts, removed airbags, removed dogbone off rearend, removed spare/jack, removed plastic and insulation in trunk and insulation under carpet in passenger area and removed rear seatbelts. It was weighed frequently on our track scales which are calibrated regularly.

All 98 cobras are return style fuel systems.

Someone earlier said foxes weighed 2800 or so I think. A stock foxbody coupe is 3150 full weight with no driver.
 
Discussion starter · #73 ·
Well I hit another scale but wasnt too happy with its result. Obviously it was also incorrect as it showed my car being 3433lbs empty.

I cant seem to find a damn scale around here that actually reads good numbers.

My guess still lies with 2700-2800.

On Friday night I stayed neck and neck with a green 97 Cobra with a vortech at 10lbs. Until about 60 or so it was dead even and after that he really started pulling. And that was 4 separate runs not just a one off.

I'm extremely happy with the cars performance by just pulling weight. Sadly my home grown battery relocation kit didnt work out. My ground connection kept getting corroded every few months and after getting stranded twice, I put the battery back up front until I can get a better solution.

After a hood, fiberglass dash, and some racing seats I think its going to fly.
 
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#74 ·
bitemark46 said:
Care to make a bet? How about 100$? Let me know if your interested. I have paypal.

3375 or 3415. I'm just saying you didn't drop over 575/600lbs by what you had mentioned you deleted. That's all I'm saying.

-Mark
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i agree, (i know im in the wrong section) but there is no way some interior stuff is gonna drop that much weight
 
Discussion starter · #77 · (Edited)
From the dead for sure.... Car has more than interior missing. haha.

I just gave up on actual weight because every scale is hundreds of pounds different from every other scale.

Besides it was never a pissing contest but rather my documented love of weight reduction :).

I'm actually planning on an IRS swap which will throw another 75-80lbs back on the car but I think its for the better.

Not trying to start another IRS vs solid debate because I know the solid is better. I want an IRS for a smoother daily driver. Also after pulling all the weight the car is noticeably more front end heavy now anyway and traction is suffering. I think adding some more weight back to the lower rear of the car will help to rebalance it compared to how it is now.

I still have plans for lexan glass, removing side window glass completely, fiberglass dashboard, removing rear window side glass and blacking out that area, fuel cell instead of gas tank, and cf hood if I can find one. I refuse to pay so much for a cf hood I'd rather trade for it since my cobra hood is pretty bad ass for a factory hood :)

So if you just came to argue weights I really dont care. This was never about bragging but rather showing you guys where I'm taking MY car. If we just want to argue I'll stop creating threads showing my plans. Yes the car didnt lose 500+lbs from interior, sway bars, strut tower bars, smaller front tires, 12lb battery, missing passenger seat, the list goes on. Seriously stop arguing about the exact number. Its light. It's ran some kick ass times for a stock longblock.
 
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#78 ·
FYI...lexan windows are not DOT legal. And overtime will start to haze due to road dust/sand/debris etc.

Removing weight is always good but you have to remove it in the right places. Removing a lot of weight in the rear or center moves your CG forward which will give you more wheel spin.
 
#79 ·
hey, i see that you want to put a hellion system on your car. well, before you do that , you must realize that the tubular k-member that comes with the kit is what the system was designed around. So if u get a griggs system, it probably wont fit. If hellion's what you want, then u need to ask them what k-member they use. IMo, id consider an STS rear mounted system. Now, they dont make a kit for our year cobras, but they sell universal single and TT systems. that weight in the rear would help your traction problems, and you could pick the k-member of your choice. If i had to do it all over again, id probably choose that route. My HP kit musta added close to 100lbs to the front of my car, and thats not so good!
 
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Discussion starter · #80 ·
I dont think Hellion was my intended company. My buddy here did a DIY garage built junkyard sourced twin turbo for $1800 completely finished.

I kind of think I might go that route but really suspension is what I care about right now. The car could be faster with the power it makes now except it isnt being used properly.

I've been following a few diy turbo mustang forums and playing around with compressor maps and seeing what our local junkyards have in terms of usable parts.

Thanks for the advice but a turbo is a long ways away and probably the last major mod I'll make. I want a very light corner carver first and I'll focus on power later.
 
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