Does anyone know the weight difference of inner fenderwells?

by bracketchev1221 Wed Mar 12, 2014 2:36 pm

I have been contemplating what weight savings I can come up with the Malibu without drastically modifying things. My car happens to have the steel fender wells in it. I have not researched a used set, but I can get a reproduction set of plastic ones for $250. Does anyone know the weight of one over the other?

by Joe73 Wed Mar 12, 2014 2:41 pm

I dont tbink theres much difference at all. Can u just run without wheel wells?

by bracketchev1221 Wed Mar 12, 2014 2:46 pm

Thanks Joe, No, I didn't want to do that. Being that this car is going to be a street cruiser I HAVE to keep it looking somewhat as her dad had it. Plus, I think the wiper bottle and over flow are there. So I don't want to eliminate it. I thought since I have to do the body work on it, and I can remove the fenders that I could just swap them.

by Joe73 Wed Mar 12, 2014 2:56 pm

I know i can remove my plastic wheel wells without removing the fender. Just fyi. They come out pretty easy. Dont know about the metal ones.

by bracketchev1221 Wed Mar 12, 2014 3:08 pm

I have to look. If I can get them out with the engine out of the car, I may do it then. I forget where they mount up front. I think the battery tray mounts to it possibly, and then to the core support I believe.

by Joe73 Wed Mar 12, 2014 3:12 pm

Bts to the core support. Around the fender.lip. and two bolts below the brake booster. Real easy actually. Same on the other side.

by 74Malibu383 Wed Mar 12, 2014 3:14 pm

The metal ones are not heavy at all. Maybe 10lbs each?
Not to thread hijack, but do you know what the bumper shocks weigh?

by bracketchev1221 Wed Mar 12, 2014 3:21 pm

Not a hijack, if there is anything else I can change to drop some pounds on the car, (be quiet guys, I know where I can drop some pounds on me!!!!!) just let me know. I have thought, fiberglass cowl hood, aluminum heads and the wheel wells.

by dynchel Wed Mar 12, 2014 3:43 pm

Separate the bumper from the crash brace and "thin out" the crash brace. It seems gm had demolition derby in mind when they designed them. A can of fix a flat for a spare, remove center seat belts (unless you really plan to ride with three across) sound deadener under the carpet.

by bracketchev1221 Wed Mar 12, 2014 3:44 pm

That bumper was ridiculous now that you mention it. I had it off when I did the core support.

by dynchel Wed Mar 12, 2014 3:48 pm

The inner support weighs more than the chrome part. I cut a ton out of mine, I could go more but didn't want the equivalent of a fiberglass bumper. At least you don't have the 16 lb pot metal grille ('74/'75). You can also hole saw the support brackets that hold the grille on.

by 74Malibu383 Wed Mar 12, 2014 3:49 pm

dynchel wrote:Separate the bumper from the crash brace and "thin out" the crash brace. It seems gm had demolition derby in mind when they designed them. A can of fix a flat for a spare, remove center seat belts (unless you really plan to ride with three across) sound deadener under the carpet.

HA! I put Dynomat under the entire carpet to cut down on road noise while driving across country! I'm not looking to cut everything out, just wondering how heavy those bumper shocks are?

by dynchel Wed Mar 12, 2014 3:51 pm

My bad, I forgot this was your thread. Embarassed

if I were to guess I remember them being maybe 10 lbs a piece.

by 74Malibu383 Wed Mar 12, 2014 4:06 pm

LOL. Thank you sir.

by Joe73 Wed Mar 12, 2014 4:12 pm

I would grab some tube and a flat ate and make my own bumper shocks. Stock ones have some decent weight. Cheese the bumper core and lighten the mounts.

by pila Wed Mar 12, 2014 4:57 pm

My Elco doesn't have that massive front bumper reinforcement. And it does weigh quite a bit. I had a couple spare bumpers with that reinforcement. Those went to the scrap yard but I did keep the bumpers.

by dynchel Wed Mar 12, 2014 4:59 pm

I never knew elcaminos had different bumpers than chevelles.

by 77mali Wed Mar 12, 2014 5:16 pm

Mine are all out- the steel wells are not heavy at all. I would say about 10 lbs each also. I can't imagine that plastic 73 inners weigh more that 5 lbs. The rear bumper shocks are longer than the fronts but I'd say the front's are about 10 lbs each and maybe 15 lbs each for the rear tops. The killer on weight is these big @ss heavy bumpers and the inner structure. I have all those out too and made a mistake on the back & took them both out as a unit by unbolting the shocks...was not expecting all that weight.

by dynchel Wed Mar 12, 2014 5:24 pm

77mali wrote:Mine are all out- the steel wells are not heavy at all. I would say about 10 lbs each also. I can't imagine that plastic 73 inners weigh more that 5 lbs. The rear bumper shocks are longer than the fronts but I'd say the front's are about 10 lbs each and maybe 15 lbs each for the rear tops. The killer on weight is these big @ss heavy bumpers and the inner structure. I have all those out too and made a mistake on the back & took them both out as a unit by unbolting the shocks...was not expecting all that weight.

If I remember correctly the fronts are longer, I put there are on the front and it brought my bumper in (too much actually). As for the bumper weight, separate the two (brace & bumper) and start cutting. Twisted Evil

by 77mali Wed Mar 12, 2014 5:40 pm

Sorry, that's what I meant, you're right...Sometimes my fingers are faster than the noggin. The back ones are shorter.

by bracketchev1221 Wed Mar 12, 2014 9:11 pm

And I thought my 70 was heavy. It was 3675 with me in it and with a steel head 427 and 8 point roll cage. I hope I can get the 76 down to that with an aluminum head small block.

by switchbiker Thu Mar 13, 2014 3:12 am

My plastic wheelwells are out so I threw them on my fish scale. 6.1 lbs passenger side and 5.8 lbs driver side.

by bracketchev1221 Thu Mar 13, 2014 6:43 am

Well, I guess unless I can find a cheap set of plastic wheel wells it may not be worth changing them just for fun to lose 10 lbs. That is like running a gallon less in the tank. Crying or Very sad

by dynchel Thu Mar 13, 2014 6:45 am

You know there is a sticky about how to make your car lighter.

by bracketchev1221 Thu Mar 13, 2014 7:43 am

Oh thanks, I'll have to take a look. The chevelle was easy. I just took stuff out. This car I have less freedom on that.

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Does anyone know the weight difference of inner fenderwells?

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