Weight reduction.............

J

junkman306

Registered
So here in missouri we run a class called true radial. I was curious as to what I could take off my car to lighten the load a bit. I'm going to relocate the battery to the trunk, remove the air ride compressor and stuff, maybe remove the passenger side seat for the night, etc. I'd like to keep all of my creature features, but I'd like to know what I don't necessarily need or could easily remove and re-install. Also, Do you necessarily have to ground the battery to the engine or will a good, clean ground in the trunk be sufficient? :confused:
 
You NEED the ground from the battery to the engine block. You will want one in the trunk as well I suppose. It is very important to maintain a good ground system on EFI cars.

I've seen guys almost gut their cars at the track for maybe a tenth at the most. But the Lincoln is heavier, so you may have better results with weight reduction. I think Ponyfreak was able to take nearly 500 pounds off one but it did bite into the 'creature comforts' somewhat.

I've never done much beyond emptying the trunk - which technically is required anyways. My usual race trim with me driving is 4050 pounds.
 
driller said:
You NEED the ground from the battery to the engine block. You will want one in the trunk as well I suppose. It is very important to maintain a good ground system on EFI cars.
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Ok. I wasn't sure. I know on all my mustangs I've had, a ground in the trunk worked fine, but they were carburated. Will a ground strap from the engine to the frame work ok or do I need to actually ground the battery to the engine?

I've seen guys almost gut their cars at the track for maybe a tenth at the most. But the Lincoln is heavier, so you may have better results with weight reduction. I think Ponyfreak was able to take nearly 500 pounds off one but it did bite into the 'creature comforts' somewhat.
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I stripped my old honda civic down to a shell and saved maybe 80 pounds. It wasn't worth the 3 hours it took and the exhaust echoed like crazy inside the car. I figure for every 100 pounds you gain a tenth.

I've never done much beyond emptying the trunk - which technically is required anyways. My usual race trim with me driving is 4050 pounds.
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I don't keep anything in the trunk anyways. I doubt the back seat weighs enough to matter, but I figured the passenger seat weighs a few pounds anyways. I wouldn't doubt that taking the power window motors and door lock motors and power seats and etc. would add up.
 
A ground strap from the engine to the frame should work. The current ground cable to the engine is direct from the battery. You may be able to utilize it?
 
on one of the "other" forums there is a how-to on shaving weight from the MN-10 (mark) and FN-12 (t-bird/cougar) chassis cars. one of them is to remove the sound deadening from behind the door panels and to scrape the dyno-mat like stuff form under the carpet. this stuff takes time but it winning means that much to you you will do it.
 
driller said:
A ground strap from the engine to the frame should work. The current ground cable to the engine is direct from the battery. You may be able to utilize it?
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I guess I could always try and see. I'm not electrical savvy, so I'm not sure. I would assume that grounding the engine to the frame and then the battery to the frame would work the same, but I'm not sure. I don't see where it would be that hard I guess to run the ground from the battery to the engine. I'm just afraid that it would touch the power wire and short or something. :eek:
 
Not to be nerdy, but it's MN12 for the Thunderbird/Cougar platform and FN10 for the Mark VIII platform. :)
 
7 sek mark said:
on one of the "other" forums there is a how-to on shaving weight from the MN-10 (mark) and FN-12 (t-bird/cougar) chassis cars. one of them is to remove the sound deadening from behind the door panels and to scrape the dyno-mat like stuff form under the carpet. this stuff takes time but it winning means that much to you you will do it.
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I'd go for that if I was gonna strictly race it, but that's a little too much. I like loud, but man that would be bad. How about pming me a link to that post? :D
 
While we're on the subject of weight reduction, did anyone perfect the tubular K member for our cars? I've read every old post about it, but haven't got far except for poor reliability issues. Any news?
 
I don't see where it would be that hard I guess to run the ground from the battery to the engine. I'm just afraid that it would touch the power wire and short or something.
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That is the correct way to do it. Not by use the chassis as your starter ground.

As to shorting. Proper routing, grommets and clean install is the key.

I personally would not do it for the cost and trouble.

Have you priced new cable lately?

I build a lot of custom cables, but they are for boat applications and moving the batteries out of the transom area and into the console.
 
warthog5 said:
That is the correct way to do it. Not by use the chassis as your starter ground.

As to shorting. Proper routing, grommets and clean install is the key.

I personally would not do it for the cost and trouble.

Have you priced new cable lately?

I build a lot of custom cables, but they are for boat applications and moving the batteries out of the transom area and into the console.
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Yea, cable isn't cheap, even at my price. The only true benefit to relocating the battery is weight transfer. I think it's worth in, no matter the cost, just because these cars spin bad. The only downside is cost.
 
spin bad? i range from a low 2.0 to a high 1.9 60' times and i dont spin at all with a 245/50 r16 bridgestone on the rear. i do also have about a 70-80 lb speaker box and a 25lb (when full) nitrous bottle setting right over the axle. now on the street i can spin them pretty well but it hooks pretty well on the track. right now i have my "play tires" on it they are 225's and i can smoke them from a stop light on the street.
 
7 sek mark said:
this stuff takes time but it winning means that much to you you will do it.
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Winning isn't about how fast you can go though, its about consistency.

junkman306 said:
The only true benefit to relocating the battery is weight transfer. I think it's worth in, no matter the cost, just because these cars spin bad. The only downside is cost.
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I was hitting 1.8 60ft's on street tires without weight reduction. These cars are fat in the rear so I don't think putting more weight in the back would be too beneficial.....I'd put a trac-lok in and call it good.
 
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