Calculating wight

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jackdaniels
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Calculating wight

Post by jackdaniels »

Hello,
my question is on weight,
there is this cathegory of dragsters,
but the largest that you can go on wheelbase is 230"
it allows 4.5 lbs per cubic inch, and the engine will be a 400cid
how can i approximate or calculate to get the total wight before having fisically the parts?
total wight allowed would be 1800 punds, but where can i get information about weights on parts? or who can i aproximate?
thanks :?
T RICK
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Post by T RICK »

That will be hard to get weights on all the differnt combinations. I can tell you on our comp car with driver it had to weight 1530. It was a Buick sbc/glide and we had a couple hundred pound of weight in it. What ever combination you come up with it will need weight added to it. I assume the 400 is a small block? It is best to have a light car to a point so you can move weight around.
jackdaniels
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Post by jackdaniels »

T RICK wrote:That will be hard to get weights on all the differnt combinations. I can tell you on our comp car with driver it had to weight 1530. It was a Buick sbc/glide and we had a couple hundred pound of weight in it. What ever combination you come up with it will need weight added to it. I assume the 400 is a small block? It is best to have a light car to a point so you can move weight around.
Thank you, well i thought it would be better having less wight than extra wight, but i wasnt sure approximately how much weight would i need to add at the end :?
but ill try to get approximates on weights, lets say, a small block, a trans. rear axle, and others.
Thanx :wink:
BRENT FAY
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Post by BRENT FAY »

Do you mean you have to weigh a no less than 1800 lbs.? FWIW had a buddy that had a Spitzer 210 to 230" (dont remember exact length) that I did engines for and it weighed w/180lb driverall BBC @1740lbs with @ 30lbs in the nose. He sold it to another of my buddies and put an all steel 338 SBC w/driver @ 1630 lbs with weight in the nose to make car more consistant on reaction times to help from jerking a wheel out of the beams,it ran 8.40-.50s. Powerglide and nodular center section. Brent
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358T
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Post by 358T »

Our 227" Gebhardt SuperComp hardtail dragster weighs 1450lbs without the driver. It is a SBC, iron block, aluminum heads, aluminum intake, 1 battery, MW aluminum rearend w/steel spool, Weld AlumaStar 15x15 wheels, fully functional electric cooling system, powerglide, etc.

A dragster chassis built for comp is lighter than a SC chassis. Also, significant weight can be saved by using lighter wheels, spools and other small items.

Scott
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