Legal ways to light car.

[Dan Fahey]

My 1969 Impala will be in reassembly stage.
Need a garage to complete it.

Wanted to know how to handle bumper braces.
What is considered legal lightening?
Are there any aluminum components that would work?
Like a supply of hardened alloy bolts/nuts?

[Dwight Southerland]

Most effective way on a early GM car is to remove all sound deadener, insulation, and extraneous pieces. Then use aftermarket seats, aftermarket disc brakes and light wheels. The expense of alloy bolts, etc. is way too much for the overall weight reduction. You might save 3 lbs if you replaced every no critical body bolt with aluminum or titanium.

[Mike Pearson]

I also run a lightweight lithium battery. It weighs 8 lbs. saves about 30 lbs. brakes were a huge weight savings. 60 lbs lighter than the drums. Braking is way better as well with the aftermarket light weight brakes.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Dan Fahey

My 1969 Impala will be in reassembly stage.
Need a garage to complete it.

Wanted to know how to handle bumper braces.
What is considered legal lightening?
Are there any aluminum components that would work?
Like a supply of hardened alloy bolts/nuts?

Gasoline and a match !

[CMcAllister]

We replaced stock seats and mounts with aluminum Jaz and fabbed Ch-Moly mounts in a 72 Chevelle and saved right at 80 lb.

[Jeff Jewell]

Billy Nees once told me "look for 50, 1 lb items, not 1, 50 lb item"...

[Dan Fahey]

OK... FWIW
I lost 20 pound of wrinkle filling fat last year..!
Think that helps.

The body right now is a Shell on a rebuilt Chassis.
Did have the floor sprayed with a sound deadener.
Have the Stock Carpet and Headliner.

What are the Best Adjustable Seats?
It has the Stock Drums on all fours.
What Disk Brakes are recommended for this car?
What Booster is used for Power Brakes?

Lightweight Lithium Batteries, good idea.
Is it useful to have two batteries? (one in Trunk)

What about wheels?

[Lee Valentine]

Light seats,aircraft carpet,light battery,mini alternator,mini starter,light wheels,aftermarket brakes. My friend runs a 66 Biscayne and has Wildwood brakes,stops from 130 mph weighs 4000 lbs.

[james schaechter]

If you thought sound deadner was a necessary part of a stocker you need to re think your goals. Seriously, scrape that off and read the thread. Some great commons sense ideas here

Originally Posted by Dan Fahey

OK... FWIW
I lost 20 pound of wrinkle filling fat last year..!
Think that helps.

The body right now is a Shell on a rebuilt Chassis.
Did have the floor sprayed with a sound deadener.
Have the Stock Carpet and Headliner.

What are the Best Adjustable Seats?
It has the Stock Drums on all fours.
What Disk Brakes are recommended for this car?
What Booster is used for Power Brakes?

Lightweight Lithium Batteries, good idea.
Is it useful to have two batteries? (one in Trunk)

What about wheels?

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Dan Fahey

Wanted to know how to handle bumper braces.
What is considered legal lightening?
Are there any aluminum components that would work?

In answer to your initial question..No, aluminum or drilled out bumper brackets are not legal.

However, if you're a hands on type, with metal working skills and tools, there's lots of places where you can removed a pound or two, and not be noticed.
If you're a checkbook / bubble pack racer, you're just going to have to open the wallet wide and kick it out..It's only money.