Getting a truck lighter?

[Roper]

Well im getting closer to finishing my truck. All thats left is the body.Was wondering what options I have? Example less weight mean faster and better fuel mileage. Was wondering about figerglass or alunimin body panels. There is an outfit in Florida that makes fiberglass complete race bodys for my 81 Chev 4 by4 that weigh absolutely nothing. Problem is they wont ship, you have to go there and pick it up yourself or arrange your own trucking and assume all the risks. There body parts are not direct bolt on either.
Does anybody closer to AB make fiberglass body parts>?
Alunimin would be perfect. Does anybody make alunimin body panels that are half way affordable?
Any of you have other ideas on saving weight? Example im getting rid of my back bumper and probable going to replace it with a tube bumper. The bumper I have just fills up with mud and weighs God only knows how much.

[82c10]

Originally Posted by Roper

Well im getting closer to finishing my truck. All thats left is the body.Was wondering what options I have? Example less weight mean faster and better fuel mileage. Was wondering about figerglass or alunimin body panels. There is an outfit in Florida that makes fiberglass complete race bodys for my 81 Chev 4 by4 that weigh absolutely nothing. Problem is they wont ship, you have to go there and pick it up yourself or arrange your own trucking and assume all the risks. There body parts are not direct bolt on either.
Does anybody closer to AB make fiberglass body parts>?
Alunimin would be perfect. Does anybody make alunimin body panels that are half way affordable?
Any of you have other ideas on saving weight? Example im getting rid of my back bumper and probable going to replace it with a tube bumper. The bumper I have just fills up with mud and weighs God only knows how much.

get a rollpan, its even lighter than a tube bumper

[Captkaos]

I believe you are referring to US Body Source. They have standard shells also. Didn't know they wouldn't ship anymore though, but I highly recommend their parts.

[bulky]

There are race car ways to lighten a vehicle...some are a little scarey if you plan to drive it on the street. I had an all steel TransAm drag car that was CUT BIG TIME. The previous owner cut out the crash bar out of the doors, cut out trunk floor and replaced with a sheet of aluminum, removed all steel bumpers from under the rubber nose and tail, even removed the radiator support and replaced with small aluminum bars. Everything looked stock from the outside even the headlights worked. It cut a ton of weight...but I wouldnt want to be in a car wreck with it.

I have a set of fiberglass S10 bedsides....if you want to come to Rhode Island you can have them for a 30 pack.

[Prerunner1982]

depending on what you plan to do with your truck you have some options.

If you dont plan to haul anything with it, you could remove the bed floor and just make supports to hold the bedsides on.. On the front you can get 'glass fenders/hood. In both flared and OE i believe. You could also run with no tailgate, ditch the bumpers.. You could also run no doors, but this wouldnt help the aerodynamics any.

[ocbaud]

Originally Posted by Prerunner1982

depending on what you plan to do with your truck you have some options.

If you dont plan to haul anything with it, you could remove the bed floor and just make supports to hold the bedsides on.. On the front you can get 'glass fenders/hood. In both flared and OE i believe. You could also run with no tailgate, ditch the bumpers.. You could also run no doors, but this wouldnt help the aerodynamics any.

i havent been able to find OE style fiberglass fenders i'm still looking for good ways to lighten up my front end

[Prerunner1982]

Originally Posted by ocbaud

i havent been able to find OE style fiberglass fenders i'm still looking for good ways to lighten up my front end

I could be mistaken, I will have to look.

[Prerunner1982]

Alright... I am stupid I guess..

Even so.. flared glass fenders would cover the larger tires.. if you have them..

[bulky]

1981 - '87 Chevy Truck

GM-328 81-87 (1/2 ton) Truck cowl induction hood 3-1/2" high H $289.00 34 (lb.)*
GM-399 9 inch high Cowl hood, uses front latch H $499.00 46 (lb.)*
GM-305R&L 81-87 Front Fenders Each $179.00 9 (lb.)*

http://www.up22.com/chevytruck.htm

Unlimited fiberglass sells fenders, hoods and bumpers.

[Captkaos]

An Unlimited also sell JUNK! If you are building a drag truck that looks ok from 50 feet, sure. But if you want it to fit without having to reengineer the whole this, avoid UP22. Search the board for other opinions on UP22

For fenders, it depends on what you are looking for, but there are a number of people making them. I know hannemann stuff is good quality.
http://www.hannemannfiberglass.com/P...es/HF5006.html
more hannemann here:
http://www.hannemannfiberglass.com/C...Full-Size.html

http://www.autofab.com/blazer.htm

I thought these guys had some, but aren't listed now, I would call them...
http://www.glassworksunlimited.com

http://www.mcneilracinginc.com/off-r.../Blazer/73-91/

http://www.duffcoenterprises.com/chevyglass.htm

I know this company either has it or can make it...
Complete Fabrication, El Cajon, CA - Glen Straightiff (619) 322-6899

[Roper]

Hey thanks for all the replies and links everybody.
Well I do haul stuff with my truck. The problem is that the steel factory boxes are basically useless for hauling. If I rebuild my factory box and use it for hauling anything more than grocerys im going to scratch/bend it up. Really the best option would be an alunimin flat deck. Problem with that is the way it would look.
So if I go with a steel or fiberglass factory type box im basically going to be pulling a trailer when I need to haul something.
The problem with fiberglass front fenders is that I drive pretty much on gravel roads all of the time which means that I either need alunimin running boards or I have to paint the lower half of my truck with bed liner. With fiberglass front fenders its going to make it harder to mount the running boards so they will be sturdy. Example I have to bolt the running boards to the front fenders, rocker panels and cab corner because the fuel tank is in the way of mounting them directly to the frame.
Im going to have to trim the back well well openings on the front fenders back to the inner fender towards the firewall in order for the running boards to clear the tire so these http://www.hannemannfiberglass.com/P...es/HF5006.html fiberglass front fenders might work.
But I guess the best options would be a fiberglass hood and a lighter tube bumper for the back. Im not sure what a roll pan is? I will search the net and see if I can find out what this is.
Fiberglass doors and bed panels<i have a long box) that would bolt right on would be great but nobody makes them that I know of. I just put a new set of GM factory doors on my truck that are just like new but those doors are heivier than what they look like.
If any of you watch that TV show PINKS, well a lot of those cars have what they call racing skins /Lighter doors/body panels . Heck some of them even have some kind of lightweight windshields and door glass?. Guess they just make that stuff mainly for cars? Not sure if a lot of this stuff would work on a 4x4 truck anyway. I have never had the opportunity to look at these set ups close up.

[Captkaos]

USBody.com sells fiberglass doors.

Not sure what you mean by this though:

The problem is that the steel factory boxes are basically useless for hauling. If I rebuild my factory box and use it for hauling anything more than grocerys im going to scratch/bend it up.

Because if you replace the box with fiberglass, it won't get scratched, it will splinter. Aluminum isn't going to be any better, and it definitely won't be cheaper.

[Roper]

Prerunner asked if I planned on hauling with my truck. I was just kind of saying that I would like to but regardless of what type of box I go with that none of them are much good for hauling.
Your right Us body does sell doors http://www.usbody.com/miva/merchant....Yes&Quantity=1
Not much info aqout them on the web site. Guess I better call them to see if I can still use factory window regulaters/locks/etc.
I see they sell fiberglass bed sides to. Im on dial up so im still waiting for the web page on them to download.
Thanks

[Captkaos]

The doors use all factory internals.
From the site.
73-87 Door - Hinge Type
Heavy Duty Features:
- Smooth grey gellcoat finish both inside and out.
- Accepts original hinge, latch & regulator hardware
- Double wall posts support upper window and track.
- Windows come blanked in and must be opened during installation
- Coremat® reinforced outer skin reduces "print thru".
- Original felts can be epoxied in the door post and side track.
- Door is supplied bare with no glass, mechanism, tracks or hardware.