Lose 6 Lbs - 1970 Stage1 GS Diet Recipe #3

This is just a quick hit!

East Coast Auto Electric Part Number 2025 - ULTRAMINI Single Wire Alternator is 6 lbs lighter than a production alternator. Unit is slightly larger than a coffee cup.

Cost is a bit hefty at around $250.

The only downside is that you must charge your battery between rounds especially if you are running electric fan, water pump, etc. as this unit only puts out about 55-60amps.

East Coast is excellent to deal with and their products are excellent. The unit I replaced with the Ultramini ended up on my street car and is approximately 10 years old and still working perfectly.

Lose 18 Lbs - 1970 Stage1 GS Diet Recipe #2

Another key area to lose some front-end weight over stock without major modifications is to replace the front drum brake set-up with front drag racing disk brake set-up. My car originally came with factory aluminum front drum brakes. Although the weight difference over after market disks (18 Lbs) is not great the ability to hold the car in the lights and getting it stopped is well worth the dollar spent. Actually I considered the disks cheap insurance.

I decided to go with a Wilwood set-up although any of the other manufacturer's parts would probably work just fine. Here is the parts list and some additional info not included in the disk brake conversion instructions:

1) Contact AutoFab Race Cars, 7443 Washington Blvd., Elkridge, MD 21075, Phone:410-796-8777, Fax 410-796-2006 and order the following part numbers:

140-2285-B - HD Front Kit 62-72 Camero/Chevelle - $651.99
160-7097/8 vented and cross drilled rotor upgrade - $90.00
260-8555 High Volume Tandem M/C Line - $189.99
260-8419 Prop Valve Know adjust Included with 260-8555
Wilwood Brake Fluid - $14.98 (this is for two bottles)

2) Contact Muscle Cars Only and order 1 pair of P/N KT69275 these are brand new spindles that require "0" modifications with the Wilwood Kit. Delivered the spindles cost - $143.50

(You may be tempted to use your stock drum brakes spindles but I do not recommend it as they will need to be modified by a competent machinist to work with the Wilwood kit plus they are already 35+ years old. My recommendations is to start with brand new units that allow you to bolt everything up right out of the box)

3) The last tidbit of information is that you will need to learn how to safety wire bolts. This was not disclosed when I bought the Wilwood kit. The lightweight Wilwood spindles are machined from aluminum utilizing aluminum threads to attach the rotors. Wilwood does not recommend using locktite on any bolts and specifies safety wiring.

4) You can order a killer safety wire kit from Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co., 225 Airport Circle, Corona,CA 92878-4000, Ph:877-477-7823. P/N 12-16650 Model 200 Safety Wire Kit. Kit comes with large and small safety wire pliers plus three different roles of safety wire included. Price was $91.71 for the kit including freight. Seems pricey but I have used this kit for other components on my drag car plus other toys.

The total bill for the disk brake conversion with everything discussed here plus freight = $1212.17 and everything is brand new.

Total unsprung weight savings over stock spindles, front aluminum drums, backing plates, etc = 18lbs

From a performance standpoint the car no longer pushes out of the lights when footbraked against the converter. On the big end when mashing on brake pedal you do not feel that knot in your stomach wondering if your car is going to stop especially at speeds of 120mph and greater. There is no noticeable fade and the car stops perfectly straight.

Lose 34 Lbs - 1970 Stage1 GS Diet Recipe #1

In the pursuit reducing the front-end weight of my 1970 D/SA Stage1 GS I started with cooling system. The stock set-up made use of a factory four row radiator with internal tranmission cooler - although the tranmission cooler was blocked off.

In stock eliminator aluminum radiators are not legal in the earlier muscle cars so a little creativity is in order to reduce the front end weight.

Here are the steps that would make Jenny Craig herself proud:

1) Weigh your car prior to making any modfications - I recommend also recording the weights at all four corners if possible.
2) Drain the entire cooling system.
3) Call "Cool Craft Components", 4423 District Boulevard, Vernon, CA, 90058 and order PN 005330 68-71 GM,&BUICK X-FLO 283/8" - 11/2 SD1 1/2 SPXP12.
4) Make sure that when you order this unit you make sure and tell them to build without the internal transmission cooler. (You could also find a 2-row stock style from a 4-spd 350 car but they are hard, usually worn out and not built with todays technology)
5) Install the new radiator and refill the cooling system with fresh juice.
6) Scale the car again.
7) My car was 34 lbs lighter due to the new radiator being lighter weight and the reduced coolant volume in the cooling system.
8) At the race track I did not notice any cooling probelms whatsoever and speculate the larger more efficient design is probably as good as the ancient stock radiator.
9) Note: I do run a Mezziere electric water pump and electric fan in the car.