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Cutting weight on a GT500

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Mustang >> Ford Mustang Tech >> 2005 - 2008 Mustangs >> S197 Shelby Section >> Cutting weight on a GT500 Page: [1]
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Cutting weight on a GT500 - 1/20/2008 2:21:03 PM   
Zan186

 

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Without going bannana's how much weight can reasonable be reduced by going to better lighter parts?

1) Drive Shaft ?  Aluminum or Carbon Fiber?  How much weight saved?  10 to 20 lbs maybe?
2) Carbon Fiber Hood?  ----- maybe 10 lbs
3) Lighter rims? 

Any other quality parts that we can shave some weight?
Post #: 1
RE: Cutting weight on a GT500 - 1/20/2008 8:35:26 PM   
MexGT

 

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From: Tampico, Mexico
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i'd say the only worthy part there is an aluminum DS, CF are not lighter than aluminums by over 1 lb.
Also if you buy stinger axelbacks u wil be shaving good weight, the stock mufflers weight a lot !

other than that, its cheaper to make your car faster by adding hp instead of shaving weight.

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Not stock NA.

(in reply to Zan186)
Post #: 2
RE: Cutting weight on a GT500 - 1/26/2008 2:38:38 PM   
Zan186

 

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Yeah I am looking to loose a little bit of stock weight also to improve handeling and gas mileage.  Figure the drive shaft is probably the biggest part change as it is rotational mass as well.
I was thinking carbon fiber hood but the gt500 hood is already pretty light.

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Post #: 3
RE: Cutting weight on a GT500 - 1/27/2008 7:24:37 AM   
UrS4


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Your stock wheels are 28lb each so you could find lighter rims, they will cost a lot but you could shave 10lbs per wheel which is a lot of unsprung weight.  Stock brake rotors are also big anchors.  My stock front GT rotors are 20lb each.  You are not going to save a lot but 2-3 lbs should be possible.  Losing unsprung weight is like losing sprung weight X 3-4 depending which calculator you believe .  So if you could save 50lbs unsprung, you will feel like you lost 150-200lbs.

The stock mufflers, and stock mid pipe with cats are both places to save weight.  Suspension bits like panhard bar and brace and LCA are good places to drop some poundage.  A new K member could save weight and getting weight off the front is the best as the GT500 is nose heavy, but I don't think anyone has come out with one for the GT500.  All these changes will also results in performance gains in handling and power.  The seats are extremely heavy, you could save 35lbs a piece by putting in some racing type seats.  Rear seat delete may get you another 25lbs.  You could probably ditch the equivalent of 300-350lbs if you did all this.

That should put some more pep in your step.

_____________________________

06 GT 5spd manual DOP 3/31/06
Mods: JLTII/SCT Xcal2, Brenspeed tune, 4.10s, UDPs, Spydershaft, Pypes O/R X pipe & Mid muffler system, Stoptech Stage 1 brake kit, Hurst shifter, 255/50/17 tires, 14" shorty antenna. 94' Audi S4 330hp . . .sold

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RE: Cutting weight on a GT500 - 1/28/2008 8:26:56 AM   
PLstang

 

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K-member is a good mod for saving weight.  I put in the AJE K-member and A-arms.  However, I put the motor, trans, and K-member into a GT.  However, I believe the K-members are interchangeable?  We were going to put the GT500 K-member in and decided not to.

Somebody correct me on that if I'm wrong.

Also If you do the K-member do the Prothane motor mounts.  They are nice!
 


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Post #: 5
RE: Cutting weight on a GT500 - 1/29/2008 7:47:50 PM   
jt1

 

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Joined: 2/14/2007
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I ahve a alum. d/s weight saved was 24 lbs.
CF hood will save around 14-16
Stock wheels are 32 lbs ea, so aftermarket wheels will save some
There are some rotors that will save you a little over 14 lbs up front.
Panhard,upper and lower ca's will save ya about 8 lbs
There is a k-member out for it, and it will save you some weight but is expensive.
As far as the seats go,the drivers is heavy,you could save prolly 20-30 lbs on it but the pass side is pretty light,I think when we weighed it it was like 35 lbs.So you wont find a race seat to save you 35lbs.

The k-member,rotors can be found by searching over on stangsunleashed or svt..........

(in reply to PLstang)
Post #: 6
RE: Cutting weight on a GT500 - 1/31/2008 6:51:22 PM   
Zan186

 

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Joined: 4/11/2007
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It just blows my mind that Shelby put his name on something so heavy.  Shelby has always been about light weight before power. 
I will probably start with the dirve shaft and then the intake and exhaust.  I didn't even know what a K member was lol!  Had to look it up.  That might be a future option as well.  Although rotation weight makes the biggest difference.  Dirve shaft and wheels etc!

(in reply to jt1)
Post #: 7
RE: Cutting weight on a GT500 - 2/6/2008 6:42:20 PM   
UrS4


Posts: 828
Joined: 3/12/2006
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Shelby sees this as his last meal ticket with Ford to solidify his legendary status.  Purely financial if you ask me.  I don't know how much designing input, he had other than saying it looks good and its enough power for my 89 year old a**.

_____________________________

06 GT 5spd manual DOP 3/31/06
Mods: JLTII/SCT Xcal2, Brenspeed tune, 4.10s, UDPs, Spydershaft, Pypes O/R X pipe & Mid muffler system, Stoptech Stage 1 brake kit, Hurst shifter, 255/50/17 tires, 14" shorty antenna. 94' Audi S4 330hp . . .sold

(in reply to Zan186)
Post #: 8
RE: Cutting weight on a GT500 - 2/7/2008 12:41:57 AM   
Orion_240



Posts: 3922
Joined: 4/6/2005
From: West Los Angeles
Status: offline
I thought of this weight saving advise today-

Take out the reservoir for the windshield wiper fluid. Also the motor and the nozzles. Just the fluid is going to be at least one pound!

(in reply to UrS4)
Post #: 9
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