Well i went and weighed my 73 Nova yesterday and to no surprise it weighed 3260 lbs. The car has no options, heater removed, weld drag lite's, roll cage, sub frame connectors, fuel cell, no sway bar, alumium heads/intake/radiator/water pump and a fiberglass cowl hood and a 5 speed. Now that is about as light as i can make the car without going to fiberglass body parts and hacking the car up.....So how in the hell are some of you guys getting A-body, Big block, Automatic, all metal, full framed Chevelle/Malibu/whatever street cars as light or lighter than mine???? How are people getting these super light Nova's/ Camaro's??? Id really like to know cause i know my car is significantly lighter than an A body right out of the factory door and its about as far down as it gets without chopping it up, Just really curious if anyone can let me in on the secret.

-Nick

Anti-grav plateing.

My 70 SS454 weighs 3760 w/o me...all steel,all stock other than headers.

My 67 Elky weights 3400 with me in it. I weighted it twice, once at Pomona Dragways scales (3404#) and again at Tucson's SIR (3396#). The difference is probably the fuel load. I usually start a race session with a full 20 gal tank. I weight about 195 so the car w/o me is 3205, 20 gals weight about 125# so dry the car is 3080.

You can look at my page (http://members.uia.net/pkelley2/67.html) to see what has been done. I'd love to drop another couple hundred pounds.

one word....helium! :D

Six words:Not all scales are created equal!Your Nova sounds about right for what you've described.Junkyard scales are NOT accurate!Racetrack scales are somewhat questionable,but certainly more believable than those at a scrapyard.There is a manual available that states the original weights and measurements from GM.I have one somewhere for the '68 SS-396 I previously owned,and that car,with automatic and A/C,weighed near 3900 lbs. Steve

You can look at my page to see what has been done. I'd love to drop another couple hundred pounds.
195-200=-5 that would be a light wieght! :D

The only way to truly know what the actual weight of your car is, is to look in the yellow pages and find the phone number of a local scale repair company. Ask the Service Manager for the most recently calibrated public scale. Most of them are good guy's and will be glad to help you. Some of the may even have a demo set up somewhere.

I was in the scale business for many years (Toledo Scale) and it is not safe to assume that any scale is accurate. One of the most popular myths is that your doctors scale is exact, because he is a doctor. NOT. Most of the doctors buy the cheapest thing available and then never maintain them. I even worked for the company that manufactures most of the doctors scales, and the componants they are made of was the cheapest quality in the industry. We used to laught about it because most people will argue about it.

Now I know that you are not weighing your car on a doctors scale. I was only trying to make a point about assuming any scale to be accurate. Just about any MECHANICAL SCALE should be suspect. I have seen too many of those be on the money at zero and off as much as +20% at 1000 lbs, then on the money at 2000 lbs, then off by as much as -20% again at 3000 lbs. And this is checking them with state certified weights.

I was called out once to check one of the production scales at Lockheed. This was the scale they used to determine the amount of nose weight to add to the aircraft. When I put the weights on it they could not believe how far off it was!!

To get the most accurate weight always find a fully ELECTRONIC SCALE with a digital indicator. Or one that was just recently calibrated by the scale company and certified by the state inspector.

Billy smile.gif

My 69 small block Chevelle, cast iron block and heads, steel wheels, no AC, weighed 3920 at the racetrack with me (240 pounds), a half tank of gas, and a spare tire and jack in the trunk. 3260 is merely a fantasy of mine smile.gif

I know they are big truck scales but two different CAT certified scales weighed my dad's camaro within 2 or 3 pounds of each other. I have been told by a scale tech that they could be off on the cars weight by 20 pounds. My 70 Chevelle weighed 3080 at the scrap yard and 3180 on a CAT scale.

Dragn70, please tell me in detail how you got your 70 chevelle {wich me and my dad also own one} down to 3,180 lbs? Im curious

I don't see any all steel, all interior factory cars running around @ 3200lbs
I'm running aluminum heads but butween the gear vendors and the stereo, I'm a 4020lbs with a third of tank of gas(!) 56/44 split, (with me in it of course, but the car doesn't even notice me, 160lbs? lol).
I see a few light elkys and 64-67's that look kinda light, like 3600# with driver and claim to be all stock, but there aren't many.
But I don't try to reduce weight. I have a spare tire that won't fit over any of my disc brakes, a stereo I *never* use (subs and all), skipped the alum radiator because I think alums are ugly (but would clear my windstar big motor better), steel inner fenders, took kit, fire extinguisher, etc. I'd rather over power the weight than vice versa. Those little 3200lb mustangs can kiss my 3" tailpipes :D
If I had a race car, I'd consider it, but after I saw a *stripped* 78 malibu at NED once I was like hmm... big buck engine or a few hours with some wrenches and a sawzall? The thing tooled me but it must have weighed 1/2 what I did..

Matt

My car is all steel with all the glass, small block iron heads, th350 with a 12 bolt. All the a/c and heat parts are gone along with the inner fenders and wiper parts. Front and rear seats gone with 2 jaz seats and an 8 point bar, panels and dash are stock. 8 gallon fuel cell, had about 4 gal. in it when weighed. The bottom of the car was stripped of all under coating and road build up. The stock wiring was removed and replaced with only what was needed. I have an electric fan and pump drive which weigh less than the stock fan, pullies and shroud. Light weight spool in the rear, small starter. I can't remember if I had the mufflers on it or not. Welds with skinnies/15x7 28x9 slicks. One trick I used was to replace old rusted nuts and bolts with the smallest I could get away with safely and not use washers and lock washers if I could. The ash tray lids are still in place but the trays are gone, not much weight in one part but it adds up.

With an Alum. headed SB I had my 64 down to 2768 lbs. w/o me. Thats with an Elky Frame. I now have an Alum. headed TD BBC havent weighed it yet. This is strickly a Drag Car

If it makes you feel better my 68 Camaro has porked out to 3580# with me in it (OK - I go for 225# and I keep another 10# worth of tools in it). That's a small block ride with aluminum heads, alum w/p, no AC, etc. The roll bar added some weight for sure and its all steel with a full stock interior (still stuff my kids in the back seat and cruise). I've heard stock Camaro seats are friggin' HEAVY.

So to answer your question . . . I dunno either :confused:

my 67 weighed 3625 last outing with me in it. all the a/c stuff and heater box is gone. all the alluminum parts one would want under the glass hood. the title on the car says 3400 lbs from the factory "with a/c". i know ive reduced the wieght of the car well over 200 lbs, probaly closer to 300. i dont see how people get the weights down either. i like the idea about the anti-gravity plating though. Dave

Well it looks like the consensus is that either they gutted the whole car, weighed on an "off" scale, or theyre full of ****.

My 67 EC is pretty much gutted but is a steel bodied car. No heater, wipers, inner fenders, one race seat, lexan back window, aluminum rad. But mine was a stripper model from the factory, too, coming with with an I6 and 3 on the tree, no A/C, manual steering and brakes, and base trim. I've never weighted my 66 Elky but expect is is around 3700-3800 LBS, maybe more. It has Malibu trim and all the creature comforts a driver should have.

Nick,
thats basically it.

My camaro weighed in at 3090 with the driver, full interior, aluminum front brakes and heavy cragars, all steel equipment, copper brass radiator, all DOT equipment.

With the small block/TH-350 12 bolt it should be closer to 3300 with driver.

Keep in mind when your car is a 73, and its to my understanding it has more safety equipment then the earlier years.

In camaros alone, 67 is the lightest year, 68 and 69 are heavier 69 being the heaviest. I would bet nova's are the same way.


BTW i weighed mine on Englistown's scales.


There is no mystery to it, a Full weight, Iron headed Big block chevelle with ALL stock DOT equipment should be around 3800lbs + driver.

Nickle333-
Did you remove the heavy weight safety stuff that is behind the bumpers?

The NHRA Classification Guide will give anyone the factory claimed shipping weight before options and has always been fairly close every time i've used it. Early model Chevelles generally are around 3450 lbs. and the 70-72 body styles usually weigh 36-3750. If you have one over 4000 pounds ditch the stereo boom boxes or start looking for the corpses in the trunk. This guide can be downloaded from the NHRA now if you want to know what a certain year should weigh.

Originally posted by MadMarv:
I don't see any all steel, all interior factory cars running around @ 3200lbs
I'm running aluminum heads but butween the gear vendors and the stereo, I'm a 4020lbs with a third of tank of gas(!) 56/44 split, (with me in it of course, but the car doesn't even notice me, 160lbs? lol).
I see a few light elkys and 64-67's that look kinda light, like 3600# with driver and claim to be all stock, but there aren't many.
But I don't try to reduce weight. I have a spare tire that won't fit over any of my disc brakes, a stereo I *never* use (subs and all), skipped the alum radiator because I think alums are ugly (but would clear my windstar big motor better), steel inner fenders, took kit, fire extinguisher, etc. I'd rather over power the weight than vice versa. Those little 3200lb mustangs can kiss my 3" tailpipes :D
If I had a race car, I'd consider it, but after I saw a *stripped* 78 malibu at NED once I was like hmm... big buck engine or a few hours with some wrenches and a sawzall? The thing tooled me but it must have weighed 1/2 what I did..

Matt Id have to agree here b/c one will end up wanting the big dawg motor anyway. i.e. eventually I want to put my 540 in a 69 vette :eek:

my chevelle is 3740 with out me. bigblock steel wheels and alum heads . roll bar disk brakes all steel

I know the 73 is a bit heavier. Thrasher, i have removed all the "extras" in the 74' bumper i have, i dont believe the 73 had the extras, at least mine didnt. You wouldnt believe how much those extras weigh ,thats some heavy stuff!!!!! I might be looking later today to see if theres cross bracing in the doors, i think there is and there's no use for that since i have a roll bar. I may just go to a 72 and earlier door for the vent windows anyways, oh well thats just senseless rambling. Pat i believe your weight, dont take it as an attack.

I read somewhere that .120" wall 1-3/4" mild steel tubing goes for roughly 2.75 pounds per foot. When I figured it out I guessed my 6 pt roll bar added an extra 90-100 pounds.

That would explain some of your weight Nick.

I know that my car is right on for what it is. the debate isnt over my weight, its over the supposed weight of 3rd gen camaro's {80's} and A-Bodies that supposedly weigh less than a chevy II. I have seen some outrageous claims on weight for some cars and im just trying to get to the bottom of it.

I thought both the 73 and 74 Nova's had the same heavy azz safety stuff.
One of my friends has a 74 with full interior, bench seat,SB,TH-350, 8.5 10Bolt, standard steering and breaks. It does have stock disc's on the front.

He said it has the door bars.They removed just about all of the safety stuff accept for the bars.They even removed the 5mph bumper shocks.Then they pushed the bumpers in.Looks better.

I think you are right there with him in weight, and he doesn't have a bar or cage.


I had a 2door 66 Nova.Stock it came with a 230
6poper and a Powerslide.It was a low option car.

It had the full interior, SB,Powerslide,bench seat,stock wheels and tires,which if I remember right were some skinney azz 13's, and drum breaks.It also did not have power breaks, power steering, and it still had the stock 8.2 10 bolt.

Anyway I went to a truck scale with a very very low amount of fuel without the driver it weighed 2970.

Another of my friends had a 69 Chevelle that was the 300 Delux model.I remember it was
:eek: shockingly light :eek:


300 Delux models weren't low option vehicles,they were more like NO OPTION VEHICLES!
I was told even the frame was thinner and lighter.

My 68 chevelle, with 14" centerline wheels, 10 bolt, th 350, small block, headers, duals, alum. intake, 1/4 tank of gas, missing the grill (like 2 pounds), full interior, 35 pound tool box, no spare or anything in the trunk, with heater, no ac, 4 wheel non power drum, 1 1/4" sway bar, stock rear suspension, full wheel wells, power steering, heavy ass battery....weighed out to 3260 at the local united rentals scale (not sure how accurate it is, if you know, tell me...) without me in it...since then have put on a lift off fiberglass hood...I was very suprised with how light it was. graemlins/beers.gif

You can look at my page to see what has been done. I'd love to drop another couple hundred pounds I'd be happy to drop about 20lbs. Mebbe i could just lose the spare tire. Of course i would have to stop drinking beer to do that. :( Wait a minute are we talking about cars' weight? nevermind. ;) graemlins/beers.gif

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