so what do you weigh

[GMC70c20]

I am in the middle of building my truck and am trying to get an idea on what it will weigh. It started as a gmc c20 with a 350, muncie sm465 and a full floater dana 60 as it was it weighed 4000 lbs even. I shortend the frame into a short bed, put a fatman front end under it a 9" with steel mono's and caltacs under the rear, I am going to run a lq9 (iron block) and a turbo 400. I did box the frame and replaced all the cross members with 2" tube I'm assuming the frame weighs right about the same as a stock shortbed frame. I took out the heater and am going to run a 20 gal aluminum fuel cell. I will probably run a figerglass hood also, I'm hopeing for 3400lbs but 3200lbs would be better. So what do you guys think?

[redsled87]

What did you have to do to, put the fatman front end under the truck? Do you have pics?

[INSIDIOUS '86]

3600 is more likely for you. Mine weighs in at 3650 right now.
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[Super73]

Originally Posted by GMC70c20

I did box the frame and replaced all the cross members with 2" tube I'm assuming the frame weighs right about the same as a stock shortbed frame.

To be clear:

You boxed the full frame? 3/16" or 1/4" plate?
You removed the factory cross member and remade with 2" square tube? What wall thickness?
What about the front cross member that the suspension is hun on, is tha intact or did you make a new one there?


If the factory front suspension is in place, you boxed the full frame with even 1/4 plate, and use 2" .120" tubing for the cross members, I'd guess the weight of the frame actually went up, not down.


Now on to your quesion of what should it weigh. When I first got my truck together it looked like this:

Stock frame with stock suspension (lowering springs/shocks)
LS1/4L80E
Batterey in front
Aftermarket fuel cell in back (20 ga)
Bench seat
7" steel wheels
275/50/15 on the rear and 205/65/15 on front

Full tank of gas and me in it, 3,900lbs and 59% front 41% rear.


Now fast forward a few years. Here are my changes:

No front bumper
Removed power steering (back to a manual box)
Batterey is in the bed
Drag lites all the way around
Rear tire is a 315/60/15, front is a 205/70/15 if memory serves
Removed the bench seat and put in summit race buckets
No hood
Cut inner fender wells most of the way out
Remade the front suspension cross member out of 2x4 .120 tubing (Saved me 25 ish pounds, but that went back on with the alum intake)
Removed tailgate
Removed things like heater box, e-brake handle, wiper assembly

Last time at the track it weighed 3,525 with me in it and was close to 51% / 49% for the weight bias.



Now, I am doing a lot more:

Back half of the frame has been cut off and new frame rails were made from 1 5/8" cm tubing.
Removed the truck arm suspension and put in a 4-link
Full cage went in, again 1 5/8" cm tubing
Removed the 4L80E and went with a glide
I lost 35ish lbs (now 175lbs)

All said and done, I will be lucky to weigh in at 3,350 full tank of gas with me in it.

[GMC70c20]

the fornt cossmember came with the front suspension its made of 3" by 4" .187 wall sqaure tube. I boxed the frame with .080 plate and the crossmembers are .125 thick. here's a couple pics.

[Super73]

The front end saved you some weight. The LQ9/400 combo probably weighs close to my old ls1/80E did. Is this going to be a full dressed truck? Heater, power steering, what wheels/tires, bumpers/rollpan? All of that adds up.
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[will scratch]

That all looks real nice. Does boxing the frame with the cross bracing make it as rigid as building a cage?

[GMR-PERFORMANCE]

boxing a frame keep the drive train( general term) in line and where it should be. The cage adds more to that and protects you.

On my old drag S15 gmc tubbed truck the frame was boxed etc and it WORKED this truck would leave like a dream. I added a 6 point and it got more rigid, the next upgrade was to 12 point. Got even better. Not having done a long truck.
I would think it get more important to have the frame boxed, triangulated and the cage. The long something is the more twist you can get as the length becomes leverage.

Supers truck is a prime example of how to do it right. On my old truck I should have done that from the start... What engine you run will effect that.. I ran a small block that was a high rpm type deal. A engine that makes a ton of tq early and even more as it builds will work everything in its path.

I have a x frame in my current truck, and from what I gathered this is better than the later non x style frames.

Frame work is very in depth and there are guys out there that are extremely smart when it comes to building a chassis..

[Marv D]

My front is 'street' grade' US BodySource fiberglass and is not much of a weight saving (hindsighe.... well what can i say)

You can see all the rest that was cut out and re-devised, demised and otherwise destroyed in this link. She's 3334 poinds on SIR's scales with 10 gallons of cuel, 3380 on Firebirds scale with 12 gallons of fuel. Take my pfhat a$$ out of the equation and she is 3150ish,, and REAL nose heavy

[GMC70c20]

no heater, power sterring or rear bumber. I was going to run a bumber on the front and for wheels prob a 18" aluminum wheel I'm not sure on which ones yet, as for tires in front a 225/45-18 and a 285/45-18 ( prob a 295/60-15 if I go to the track) goodrich t/a's.

[kpeztruck]

Mine was 3165 with me in it...until I gained 10 lbs over the winter!! I guess I need to move that up to 3175. The only fiberglass is the hood, only lexan is the rear window. There has been lots done in the way of different front suspension. Factory bed floor is being replaced with alluminum, chromoly rear end housing, chromoly cage that certs to 7.50 in the 1/4. Still have carpet, door panels, and 2 racing seats. It is hard to get the weight out of these trucks. After a certain point, it costs less to make more horsepower, then it does to lose more weight! Paul

[LSPWRD67CHEVY]

Originally Posted by kpeztruck

Mine was 3165 with me in it...until I gained 10 lbs over the winter!! I guess I need to move that up to 3175. The only fiberglass is the hood, only lexan is the rear window. There has been lots done in the way of different front suspension. Factory bed floor is being replaced with alluminum, chromoly rear end housing, chromoly cage that certs to 7.50 in the 1/4. Still have carpet, door panels, and 2 racing seats. It is hard to get the weight out of these trucks. After a certain point, it costs less to make more horsepower, then it does to lose more weight! Paul

Just to be clear. Your truck weighs 3175 with you in it and that's with a steel floor? And everything else is original as far as body parts? What powetrain do you have?
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[kpeztruck]

Originally Posted by LSPWRD67CHEVY

Just to be clear. Your truck weighs 3175 with you in it and that's with a steel floor? And everything else is original as far as body parts? What powetrain do you have?
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Yes you are correct. I have reproduction front fenders, doors, and most of the floor, inner/outer rockers, and cab corners. It has a 540 ci. big block, with alluminum heads. Most of my weight loss came from the new front suspension that was fabricated by my chassis man. He keeps saying he is going to build more to sell, he is just trying to keep the cost down, and quality up. I did not box my frame, except for about 18" at the reat c-notch. This weight was with scales used at the shop to set up the chasssis. These scales have been verified with another vehicle that has gone across the scales at the track. Remember, no bed floor at this time either. Wilwood racing brakes front and rear. Hope this helps with your questions. Thanks, Paul

[Shon]

4300# Longbed C10 with full nitrous bottle and myself. less than half tank of gas.
Chrome Rallys on front with B-body rims with slicks.
LQ4/4L80e
obviously no weight reduction LOL

[1ronnieluv]

Mine was 2920lbs. without me in it. It was all steel body with all glass windows and stock suspension. Oh and a U.S. Body source fiberglass hood. The truck ran 6.0s on stock rear arms and went 5.70s with ladder bars.

[Captainfab]

What year of truck? The one in your avatar?

How about some details on it?

Originally Posted by 1ronnieluv

Mine was 2920lbs. without me in it. It was all steel body with all glass windows and stock suspension. Oh and a U.S. Body source fiberglass hood. The truck ran 6.0s on stock rear arms and went 5.70s with ladder bars.

[1ronnieluv]

It was a 65 and yes that pic is the truck.
The engine was a 468cid. I ran a PG with a 8" converter and a 12 bolt w 4.56
The motor was set back 11" and was it fun to drive. If I pulled the frontend limiters out it would flip over. It would 1.29 60' on the rear tires.

[redsled87]

Mine was 3880 with me in it and an SBC. I'm now going to have an iron headed (for now) 496 with a Weiand Alum. long wtr pump and I'm ditching the P/S also. I'm figuring 4050-4100 lbs now.

[redsled87]

Originally Posted by GMC70c20

the fornt cossmember came with the front suspension its made of 3" by 4" .187 wall sqaure tube. I boxed the frame with .080 plate and the crossmembers are .125 thick. here's a couple pics.

What is the hub to hub measurement on the Fatman frontend? That's the frontend that I want for mine.