Ideas to lose weight and look stock

[87mark7lsc]

Hey, i took my Town Car to the track for the first time since finishing my HO conversion and 3.73 gears. I lined up a 96-98 Mustang. I ran a 10.3 and him a 10.1 in the 1/8th. He said he was stock but I think he had gears. I want more from my car, I think I can get in the 9's. I have poly bushings for the rear control arms to go in still, I'm looking into getting an aluminum driveshaft, I found the underdrive pulley for our cars, and I want to put a shift kit in it. My car looks nearly stock, the guy in the Mustang looked it over with 5 friends before he would race me. Can anyone think of ways to lose some weight and maintain a stock appearance? I want to be able to beat 99-04 GT Mustangs with this car

[86VickyLX]

The 1/8th mile? Why does that just sound wrong to me?
Anyway, I'm not sure when, but the later year panthers got aluminum bumpers. The towncars also got aluminum hoods.

[Smokestacklightnin]

You can get a basic nitrous system for less than $400. With a 75 shot, you should have no problem with 96-98 stangs. A stock HO can safely handle up to a 150 shot with minimal prep. With a 100 shot, the 99-04's will be in your grasp. With a stock 03 V6 stang w/auto, 3.27 open rear, and a 75 shot I was beating 96-98's gts. off the bottle i ran a 16.1@86 (1/4) and a 14.6@98 on the spray.

[Lincolnmania]

make sure you have aluminum bumpers, they are much lighter,signatures and cartiers have aluminum bumpers and 85-89 townys are supposed to have aluminum hoods
take the spare tire and the jack out
get rid of the smog pump

[Smokestacklightnin]

If running stock air intake, remove the filter at the track.

[watchdog]

You can also loose the power seats in favor of the manual ones. That has to save you at least 70 pounds.

[pantera77]

Ditch the a/c and smog pump if you want. Smog pump for sure.

[1980c10]

What's your exhaust like? I picked up 0.3 going from stock stang headers with 2 1/4 single exhaust, going to 1 5/8 shorty headers and 2 1/2 dual exhaust with free flowing muffs. Which took me from 10.30's to 9.99

[1990LTD]

-ditch smog pump and a/c compressor (and condenser etc)
-tear out any power accessories you might have in favor of manual ones
-get rid of your catalytic converters and mufflers, put straight pipes on. shorty headers would save a few pounds over stock manifolds as well

[gadget73]

its a Lincoln, there was very little that wasn't power to swap over to manual. The passenger seat is one of the few big exceptions. If you really want, you could switch both seats over to manual sliders for some weight savings. They're the same as a Vic.

As for deleting the AC, I'm sure everyone knows my opinions on that.

[Pirate]

Remove the rear door power window motors and most of the tracks, permanently seal off the windows, and if no one is riding back there, hollow the doors out.

Likewise with Gadget's idea of lightening up the seats, the stock Lincoln power units are freaking heavy. The rest involves pretty much gutting the car.

[marquisman]

loose the spare tire and jack lol

[85crownHPP]

alloy wheels?

[zoomie]

hmmm sounds like fun i have a freindly grudge match with a 99 bolted stang ill be racing soon.....

[87mark7lsc]

Thanks guys these are a lot of good ideas, but the big thing for me is keeping as many things original and original looking as possible. I have already removed the smog pump. I want to keep the AC, but I was wondering if the inside of the compressor can be taken apart and hollowed out just keeping the case and the pulley. I never use AC in any of my vehicles anyways. I'm using FRPP 1 5/8 headers, BBK offroad h pipe with SLP Loudmouth 1 mufflers and Mustang LX style tails. This track has horrible traction. At the local 1/4 mile track my Mark VII ran .4 quicker in the 1/8th than I have ever ran at this track.

[87mark7lsc]

Heres a pic of my engine. The next time I have it out I will take a picture with my camera instead of my phone

[87mark7lsc]

I will definitely be taking the spare tire and jack out next time. I like the manual seat idea, I will have to look in to that. All you would need is the track assembly not the whole seat correct? Its a Signature so that must mean it has the aluminum hood and bumpers

[marquisman]

yea, them power seats weigh a ton

[gadget73]

Signatures are the heaviest model. Lots of noise insulation. If you start pulling panels off you'll find bags of cotton candy looking junk. Toss those to drop a bit of weight, though the car will be louder.

[1980c10]

hey we have the same exact exhaust lol, other than the tail pipe part. I just have turn downs.

[grandpaslincoln]

Thanks guys these are a lot of good ideas, but the big thing for me is keeping as many things original and original looking as possible. I have already removed the smog pump. I want to keep the AC, but I was wondering if the inside of the compressor can be taken apart and hollowed out just keeping the case and the pulley. I never use AC in any of my vehicles anyways. I'm using FRPP 1 5/8 headers, BBK offroad h pipe with SLP Loudmouth 1 mufflers and Mustang LX style tails. This track has horrible traction. At the local 1/4 mile track my Mark VII ran .4 quicker in the 1/8th than I have ever ran at this track.

If you are looking to have it original looking as possible (even though headers and the sound are a dead giveaway) then why not just remove the A/C? Gutting the pump and trying to make it still work with a pulley is pointless. You aren't going to save much on that. Not to be a dick, but what you are saying really doesn't make sense.

[1980c10]

^^^ what he said. If your have time on your hands,and wanna put in the effort. Take all your seats out and pull up the carpet, then start scrapping all the sound deadening off the floors, your might need to get some dry ice to aid in removal. Anywhere you find sound deadening remove it. Then put your carpet back in and your seats back in and no one will ever know. It maybe only be 30 lbs or so but every little bit helps. As the old saying goes '' If you wanna lose a 100 lbs, look in a hundred different places''

[johnunit]

if you've got some money, aluminum waterpump (if you don't have one) and aluminum heads (painted to look stock). There is a lot of gutting to be done in terms of structural stuff that really only matters if you crash. Of course, if you crash...

I think DulceAnAhalf or whatever or here had cut out the reinforcing bar behind his front bumper, for example.

If you have a trunkmuncher, deleting that might be an idea.

If you keep a lot of stuff in the trunk, you'll be amazed at the difference that makes to take it all out. If you're having traction issues though, just move it to the extreme passenger side rear of the trunk.

alloy/aluminum wheels are a good suggestion.

[P72Ford]

Whenever anyone posts about putting the car on a diet, I always mention this.

Google this:

Swiss Cheese Pontiac

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Pal1q8_ZYbM/So8Guf9enJI/AAAAAAAADE8/WRPw5Jh2ZKw/s1600-h/cheese+car+8-21-09+005.jpg

Yes it was real (not just a one car thing). It was a factory idea, which was aimed on continuing Pontiac's performance legacy at that time.

Not good for the integrity of a daily driver, but a really neat idea.

Also note the aluminum exhaust manifolds. They were known for dripping on the track. Finding an intact pair is obviously quite unusual, for that reason.

[mrltd]

if you've got some money, aluminum waterpump (if you don't have one) and aluminum heads (painted to look stock). There is a lot of gutting to be done in terms of structural stuff that really only matters if you crash. Of course, if you crash...

I think DulceAnAhalf or whatever or here had cut out the reinforcing bar behind his front bumper, for example.

If you have a trunkmuncher, deleting that might be an idea.

If you keep a lot of stuff in the trunk, you'll be amazed at the difference that makes to take it all out. If you're having traction issues though, just move it to the extreme passenger side rear of the trunk.

alloy/aluminum wheels are a good suggestion.


If you are running a stock style waterpump/accessories- DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT put an aluminum pump on it. You will just blow gaskets constantly. The iron HD pumps use 2 extra bolts to seal the pump.

[DoctorV8]

What's your exhaust like? I picked up 0.3 going from stock stang headers with 2 1/4 single exhaust, going to 1 5/8 shorty headers and 2 1/2 dual exhaust with free flowing muffs. Which took me from 10.30's to 9.99

Hard to gauge improved power based on ET, since that is more a function of your 60' time. What was the difference in trap speed with real headers?

[1980c10]

Just from the headers and exhaust swap it shaved 0.3 off the et and picked up 5 mph while the 60ft remained the same as before. Same tempurature and nealry the same DA maybe 100ft difference when the runs where made.

[DoctorV8]

Just from the headers and exhaust swap it shaved 0.3 off the et and picked up 5 mph while the 60ft remained the same as before.

Wow, 5mph is a huge gain for headers/exhaust. Are your E7's ported?

[1980c10]

I know, I couldn't believe it when it happend the first pass out. But then it kept repeating and repeating probably 15 passes with the same results. But my old exhaust was truly shitty.

And no the head are not ported

[DuceAnAHalf]

I added an aluminum front bumper, and aluminum bumper supports and cut them down the minimum.

OP, ou could buy my car and run low 8's in the 1/8th. I'll even throw in the voodoo cam so it will make power to 6200 instead of it's 5000 limit

[87mark7lsc]

Thanks for all of your ideas everyone. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking anything. I know a Panther isnt an ideal drag car, I just think its funny when you can run with a car that everyone knows is fast like a Mustang. Things like the intake manifold and the headers could be picked up on by a knowledgeable person looking at my motor but I would have to say that 95% of the people who have seen it think that it is stock. There's a lot of little things that you would have to be looking really closely to see. Yeah its loud driving it but not bad at idle. I just tell everyone I have exhaust. I wanted a 5.0L convertible but I had to buy this car as it only had 16k on it for $1500, no winters nearly perfect condition 100% original except for the battery. I'll never sell it, so I figured I would make it Mustang like, so I would enjoy driving it.

[DuceAnAHalf]

a 351 looks stock, because they were stock, due to the large engine bay most people are not gonna be able to tell the difference since it doesnt look huge in a panther compared to a 302 like a mustang and you can reuse the stock accessories, even your old belts

[1980c10]

The 351 swap is next on my list. But I want the 5.0 todie first lol. It's not like I'm nice to it either, it just won't give up.

[DuceAnAHalf]

here are the pics of how i cut down the bumper supports.
the first two are the front. they are just wide enough to attach teh bumper to the support with 3 bolts, and the supports to the frame with 3 (or is it 4? i cant remember) the front is aluminum that i got with the aluminum wagon front bumper.
https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/645296/fullsize/img_0733.jpg
https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/645297/fullsize/img_0734.jpg
this is the rear, it is still steel since i have my original rear bumper
https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/645298/fullsize/img_0735.jpg

the steel/steel bumper assemblies weigh 65-70#s each. the aluminum/aluminum weigh around 35, mine with teh chopped support is around 30, the rear bumper is about 10# less than stock. thats a 50# savings, most of it off the front end, that is more than a set of aluminum heads gets you, for very little money, just a sawzall and some junkyard bumpers.
and from the outside, it looks factory, cause it is.
https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/503345/fullsize/img_0333.jpg

[mrltd]

Thanks for all of your ideas everyone. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking anything. I know a Panther isnt an ideal drag car, I just think its funny when you can run with a car that everyone knows is fast like a Mustang. Things like the intake manifold and the headers could be picked up on by a knowledgeable person looking at my motor but I would have to say that 95% of the people who have seen it think that it is stock. There's a lot of little things that you would have to be looking really closely to see. Yeah its loud driving it but not bad at idle. I just tell everyone I have exhaust. I wanted a 5.0L convertible but I had to buy this car as it only had 16k on it for $1500, no winters nearly perfect condition 100% original except for the battery. I'll never sell it, so I figured I would make it Mustang like, so I would enjoy driving it.


I have a complete exploder motor, headers, a 04 PI zip tube, cobra valve covers, 80mm maf marauder air box... and can park right next to a bone stock panther (with it's hood up) and have guys walk by and say "huh huh, look, that guy thinks he has a race car because he has red motorsport wires...." Even mustang guys have trouble figuring my car out.

[gadget73]

I kinda get the same thing, though in my case its blue Taylor wires and the red ignition coil. The finned valve covers might get a second look, but they are factory 84-85 Mustang units so its not that out of place.

[1980c10]

I have no a/c, no smog, headers, an electric fan, and the homemade warm air intake. And no one ever takes a second look when I pop the hood, their like meh whatever lol.

old pic, but the only difference is the wires showing are loomed now

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp259/1980c10_photo/Picture536.jpg

plus here is a solution to the keeping it stock looking problem, don't pop the hood lol.

A buddy of mine had a mustang he used to street race, he would unhook the latch cable inside the car, then tell the guys his hood latch was broken. So they couldn't check anything out before the race. It was a 347 with H/C/I but it had a custom grind cam that idled pretty smooth, and you could get away with telling people it was a bolt on car because it sounded like one at idle lol. It was a money maker that's for sure.

[85crownHPP]

if they fell for that line, they were morons anyway, lol

[p71towny]

Remove the center seat belts front and back. Its not like you'll ever use them and every little bit helps. I've ditched mine in all my cars.

[1980c10]

Good idea at least 2lbs

[grandpaslincoln]

Gut the trunk. I always thought cutting out most of the trunk and making it shallow would save some weight. Then you can toss the stock tank and put a nice fuel cell in the trunk.

[DuceAnAHalf]

Gut the trunk. I always thought cutting out most of the trunk and making it shallow would save some weight. Then you can toss the stock tank and put a nice fuel cell in the trunk.

Big Blue Tank did that on his car. Cut the tub out of the back, and just replace it with a piece of .032" aluminum.

[1987cp]

That sounds very much in keeping with the principle of "don't look for 100 places to lose a pound, look for 1600 places to lose an ounce". :)


Me, I've been interested for a couple of years now in how much weight could be saved by fiddling with the rear door on a wagon. Sure, the extra rear side glass and stuff has some weight that make a wagon heavier than its equivalently-equipped sedan counterpart, but that door is HEAVY, and I figure it probably doesn't really have to be.

[Mercracer]

I will definitely be taking the spare tire and jack out next time. I like the manual seat idea, I will have to look in to that. All you would need is the track assembly not the whole seat correct? Its a Signature so that must mean it has the aluminum hood and bumpers
It takes either a loss of 100lbs or a gain of 10hp to drop .1 seconds ET in the 1/4 if you already have decent gears and a transmission which is doing its job(converter helps).

[Mercracer]

Hard to gauge improved power based on ET, since that is more a function of your 60' time. What was the difference in trap speed with real headers?

Wow, 5mph is a huge gain for headers/exhaust. Are your E7's ported?

I gained a solid .5 seconds with exhaust only and very little gain in 60'. I gained another .5 seconds with gears. 1 second ET improvement and little 60' improvement.

[1980c10]

Gears knocked 0.7 off the e.t. For me and 0.2 off the 60ft. But the exhaust had no effect on the 60ft. I want this crap pile to 60ft so bad I can taste it, but then both my cars died Arther same time and forced me to spend my convertor and valve body money on towing bills and fixing the marq so I would have somethingto drive arrg lol.

[mrltd]

Gears knocked 0.7 off the e.t. For me and 0.2 off the 60ft. But the exhaust had no effect on the 60ft. I want this crap pile to 60ft so bad I can taste it, but then both my cars died Arther same time and forced me to spend my convertor and valve body money on towing bills and fixing the marq so I would have somethingto drive arrg lol.


Of course not, from stop to the 60ft you are at a low RPM, and the exhaust isn't going to give any low end gains.

I dropped .3 going to a full 2.5" exhaust on a lopo, which dropped me to 16.03. The next mod was the HO conversion (well, heads, cam, injectors, and matching ecm) which dropped .5 and got me down to 15.45.

2200rpm stall, 3.73s, no ac, no smog, weight reduction, 26" tires.

The best 60ft that car EVER pulled was a 2.18


For a good 60 you need lots of torque, good gears- and not much weight to try and move.

Pulling as much of the sound deadening out will save a good amount. Manual seat tracks, bumper supports.... Surprisingly the sound deadening removal didn't make my car much louder at all.

[Pirate]

Me, I've been interested for a couple of years now in how much weight could be saved by fiddling with the rear door on a wagon. Sure, the extra rear side glass and stuff has some weight that make a wagon heavier than its equivalently-equipped sedan counterpart, but that door is HEAVY, and I figure it probably doesn't really have to be.

Actually, if you're drag racing it, that 'ballast' is in a really good spot.

[mrltd]

Big Blue Tank did that on his car. Cut the tub out of the back, and just replace it with a piece of .032" aluminum.

Uslydawg also did that to his wagon. Looks sweet too.

[pseudoboyfriend]

Cut out steel sheet metal out of floors, etc. Replace with aluminum.

[rick99601]

your 10.3 in the eighth means you should run about a 16.07 in the quarter.

a stock new edge mustang gt will run high 13's in the quarter with a good driver.

you need a bottle and be able to launch well.

[1980c10]

No, these car just need gears, alot of converter, and a nice tranny to make them boogie at the strip. IMO of course. I believe my car will drop 0.5 or better with a good converter and a nice valve body.

[gadget73]

The stock trans shifts at 4200 in an unmodified state. The stock AOD behind an HO had a different governer which got you about 4800 before it shifted. Those 600 odd rpm do cost you some speed since the HO motor still makes power at that rpm.

[rick99601]

what time are you h.o. guys running in the quarter?

[1980c10]

Never ran the 1/4 but my 1/8 of 9.99 converts to about 15.60. But that was with a slippy 1-2 shift. It will likely improve a bit with the new tranny.

[mrltd]

what time are you h.o. guys running in the quarter?


14.86@92mph

[1980c10]

14.86@92mph

Show off :rofl: im just jealous actually haha

[ford man]

Ditch that front sway bar at the track for better weight transfer and less weight. Bring gas cans and only put in enough gas for one run. Gallon of gas weighs 3-5 pounds or something. You could ice down the intake between runs. Dueceanahalf's bumper mods are bitchin... Aluminum radiator weighs less. Air down the tires in the back, pump em up in the front.

[N A]

"The 351 swap is next on my list..."

Me too.

[1987cp]

Ditch that front sway bar at the track for better weight transfer and less weight. Bring gas cans and only put in enough gas for one run. Gallon of gas weighs 3-5 pounds or something. You could ice down the intake between runs. Dueceanahalf's bumper mods are bitchin... Aluminum radiator weighs less. Air down the tires in the back, pump em up in the front.

Air down street tires?

[slymer]

yeah... just about 5 psi Enough to get a little more contact patch, but not enough to lift the middle of the contact patch.