93' and up weight difference, where does it come from?

[Karl]

Where does the extra weight come from in the '93 and up cars?

I am removing unnecessary weight from the car and want to know why the later years weight more.

I have talked with Pete and reviewed Marc's website on the topic. I assume it is not the EGR and ASR system, but every pound counts.

Thank you,

[Vette73]

These were a little porky out of the factory....I know on my 91 I went to a 14 lb fidanza flywheel...Went w headers to remove the heavy cats...The OBX catback was lighter then the stock cat back as well....Removed rear spare tire with jack and lug wrench.
Removed vacuum accessories when I deleted secondaries ( maybe a couple of pounds

..Use the tinted top instead body colored one, maybe its 5 pounds lighter...Went with A molds and sold the factory sawblades....Sawblades are a little heavier...Went with slotted aluminum rotors,instead of the factory iron ones..

Yep every little bit helps....

[Karl]

I have all the above mentioned weight savings and then some, except I use a ~20lb flywheel and have the stock rotors.

I am more concerned about where the extra weight comes from the factory in the later model years.

[Hib Halverson]

I can remember back then some discussion at press previews between media, myself included, and Chevrolet PR folks about what drove the increase in curb weight but, at this point in time, damn if I can remember what it was.

[EvanZR1]

Redesigned seats, extra sound deadening material, passenger airbag, additional crash structure/bracing?

[Karl]

Hib, if you can think of anything please post.

Evan, the seats changed in 1994 -1995 and I am pretty sure there is no passenger side airbag in my '93.

I am thinking it is insulation, sound dampening, and antivibration materials used to improve the overall ride and build quality.

The door panels changed in 94 also. I believe they are a pound or two lighter each.

Only difference I can think of between the 93 vs 94 & 95 is the seats, door panels, and passenger side airbag.

I don't see 50 lbs there.

I feel like I have one of these stuck to my car....

https://i.postimg.cc/681P0dQ7/Screenshot-20201209-085900-2.png (https://postimg.cc/681P0dQ7)

Anyone have any additional information?

[Erik]

I was just reading about this! But where? Let me check my library and I'll get right back to you.

[Vette73]

Too lazy to Google ....What is the weight difference like 50 pounds ? Considering these cars were the most expensive GM produced in the 90's it would have been nice if they lightened certain body panels...

I'm sure many of you own C5 Z06's...You can raise the hood on that car with one finger as opposed to a shoulder press when it comes to the ZR-1....I realize it is a bigger hood but there are many spots where they could have shed the weight..

Of course a decade and a half later Chevy built the LS7 Z06 with lightweight panels and a car with 505 HP that weighed all of 3,100 pounds..

[Rodder]

A long time ago I read performance numbers through 90-95 and what struck me was the weights. You always read how heavy the later years are. Did a search and found it, was Jim Ingle?s text.

https://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/tech/perform.html

Even if fluids are not down to the ounce, calibration of the scale and what ever, engineers have an mind setting for keeping them "good enough " for what they presenting. Anybody else put different year cars on a scale?

Thomas

[spork2367]

Impact absorbers on later years are lighter as they are foam compared to 1990-92 molded plastic.

[Karl]

Impact absorbers on later years are lighter as they are foam compared to 1990-92 molded plastic.

If the impact absorbers are lighter on the later years vs 90-92 then that definitely is not why the car is heavier.

[spork2367]

If the impact absorbers are lighter on the later years vs 90-92 then that definitely is not why the car is heavier.

You don?t miss much, do you?...

I was just pointing out one of the weight differences. I assumed all you astute individuals could figure out the addition subtraction part. You didn?t disappoint.

[Karl]

You don?t miss much, do you?...

I was just pointing out one of the weight differences. I assumed all you astute individuals could figure out the addition subtraction part. You didn?t disappoint.


It is not what I asked, but I guess so.....

Maybe you can also explain why pickles taste better than cucumbers?

😂

[spork2367]

It is not what I asked, but I guess so.....

Maybe you can also explain why pickles taste better than cucumbers?

😂

It's not like it's so far removed from the topic...I would think that some additional data one way or the other is certainly germane to the conversation. Sorry it has offended your sensibilities.

P.S. Wheels are lighter on the 93-95 as well.

[Mystic ZR-1]

It is not what I asked, but I guess so.....

Maybe you can also explain why pickles taste better than cucumbers?

😂

It's the brine they soak 'em in....

[Bob Eyres]

Karl, you never mentioned why you were removing weight from the car,
Drag racing?
Assuming its not bone stock, like the cars Ingles tested, Im wondering what the goal was. Because any performance mod you could put on would be more effective at lowering the E.T. Than pulling small amounts of weight out.


Sent from my iPhone using ZR-1 Net Registry (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=90383)

[Karl]

Karl, you never mentioned why you were removing weight from the car,
Drag racing?
Assuming its not bone stock, like the cars Ingles tested, Im wondering what the goal was. Because any performance mod you could put on would be more effective at lowering the E.T. Than pulling small amounts of weight out.


Sent from my iPhone using ZR-1 Net Registry (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=90383)

My car was built by Automasters in the late 90s.

Fully ported top end, made 397 on a dyno jet over 20 years ago. Most recently with a few tweaks it is a little over 400whp on a mustang dyno.

Yes I race the car whenever I can and lighter is faster.

For every 100 lbs of weight lost will yield a performance gain.

Dropping the first 100 lbs is pretty easy.

Losing and extra 200 to 300 lbs can get tricky and expensive.

[Mystic ZR-1]

Old rules of thumb:
-10 pounds equals 1 hp
-100 pounds is good for -.1 seconds in the 1/4 mile

Colin Chapman (he wasn't a drag racer but he was right) said "add lightness"...

[Corvette95]

2 Bolt to 4 Bolt mains, ASR added, PKE system with dual antenna's, redesigned Bosch ABS module, EGR system.

[Vette73]

I can imagine how fast these old AC Cobra replicas are in the 1/4 or just light to light...I remember speaking with someone at a show a few months ago and he stated his car weighed 2,200 pounds and had a 427 in it.....Talk about light...

[Karl]

2 Bolt to 4 Bolt mains, ASR added, PKE system with dual antenna's, redesigned Bosch ABS module, EGR system.


Good information. The ASR was also available in 1992.

[Young1]

Passenger air bag added weight. The thicker steering wheel too.

[Rodder]

Fwiw
-90 tint roof only door sticker.
GVWR 3934 minus 399 in occupants so 3535 then.

[Pete]

If anybody is interested i weighed my Z couple a weeks ago, race scales.
3175lbs with 3/4 tank of gas.
Next is do a complete Titanium exhaust should minus about 50lbs add light weight battery 15-20lbs.
Goal is to get her under 3100.
A carbon fiber hood would get to my goal weight but cant see spending $4-$5k :cry:

Pete

[spork2367]

If anybody is interested i weighed my Z couple a weeks ago, race scales.
3175lbs with 3/4 tank of gas.
Next is do a complete Titanium exhaust should minus about 50lbs add light weight battery 15-20lbs.
Goal is to get her under 3100.
A carbon fiber hood would get to my goal weight but cant see spending $4-$5k :cry:

Pete

That's awesome! I have a running/driving 1991 that I bought as a parts car and have tossed around the idea of seeing how light I could get it and keep it street legal. Bulkhead behind the seats, rear fiberglass tub gone...etc.

[ZR2]

Sure does look pretty even to me as far as the weight is concerned. I think what is more relevant in that the earlier lower horsepower and lower torque cars had faster times. 30 more horsepower. In 89 the power to weight was 1 horsepower per 9.2 pounds and had the fastest times versus say a 94 like I have, which has a power to weight ratio of 8.61 horsepower per pound. If all transmission ratios are the same and the rear gears are the same you would think the times would be reversed. I had a 91 ZR1 and quite frankly it felt quicker......but memory's have a way of changing!!!!

[ZR2]

Old rules of thumb:
-10 pounds equals 1 hp
-100 pounds is good for -.1 seconds in the 1/4 mile

Colin Chapman (he wasn't a drag racer but he was right) said "add lightness"...

Speaking of Colin Chapman I have a 98 Esprit V8 twin turbo......Nice Lotus motor 3.5 liters. The car depending on where you read is about 2950 to 3050 pounds....without my Fat Butt in t he seat. You can definitely feel the lighter weight. I know it is a totally different car, but feels like a dangerous slot car!!!!

[WARP TEN]

If anybody is interested i weighed my Z couple a weeks ago, race scales.
3175lbs with 3/4 tank of gas.
Next is do a complete Titanium exhaust should minus about 50lbs add light weight battery 15-20lbs.
Goal is to get her under 3100.
A carbon fiber hood would get to my goal weight but cant see spending $4-$5k :cry:

Pete

Pete, I once weighed both a stock and stainless Corsa cat-back exhaust system. Interestingly, they both weighed the same: 64 lbs. --Bob

[Pete]

Pete, I once weighed both a stock and stainless Corsa cat-back exhaust system. Interestingly, they both weighed the same: 64 lbs. --Bob

Bob sounds about right.
Thats just too heavy 😅

Pete

[WARP TEN]

Bob sounds about right.
Thats just too heavy 😅

Pete

I vaguely recall that Corsa designed a Titanium exhaust for a C4 ZR-1 and claimed it saved about 17 lbs. I think they tested it and did not produce it as it was too expensive. But can't really remember. I do know that that the mufflers were the heaviest part of the stock exhaust system. --Bob

[rkreigh]

there is a master exh pipe bender down here who is a buddy of mine Robert in Stafford who can likely make us a TI exhaust system. I haven talked to him in years but he used to do work on my turbo cars and old c3 vettes and does beautiful work. Not positive he welds TI though as its a bit more difficult. The TI stuff is amazing. I got a stock TI C5 system and I'm floored by how light the system is. Akropovic does so pretty cool stuff for the later vettes but I don't know that I've even seen a TI system for the ZR-1



Happy New year

[Pete]

I vaguely recall that Corsa designed a Titanium exhaust for a C4 ZR-1 and claimed it saved about 17 lbs. I think they tested it and did not produce it as it was too expensive. But can't really remember. I do know that that the mufflers were the heaviest part of the stock exhaust system. --Bob

Bob the new Ti Mufflers weigh 2.6 lbs each 13" oval body length.
My B&B mufflers are 14".
Dont know the weight of the B&B muffler but im sure they are much heavier.

Pete