weight reduction

[markdilljr]

Just wanted to get some ideas on weight reduction, the truck still has to be street legal but looking to shed some weight to free up some power and hopefully get a couple extra mpg. I thought about inner fender wells and replacing them with trailer ones but dont know if that would be worth it, anyone have any ideas?

[beastie_3]

Replacing your inner fenders with trailer fenders isnt going to do anything but waste $ and time, in my opinion. I would look at doing some other things like swapping your mechanical fan for a electric, headers, exhaust, carb tune up, ignition upgrade, etc if you want more MPG. Weight wise, I suppose removing a gas tank if you have two, gut the interior, etc. You most likely wont shed too much weight unless you remove a lot of items.

[three8six]

Fiberglass body from US Body?

[Chevalade]

Fiberglass fenders, hood, bedsides, racing seats, magnesium wheels, low profile rubber, lexan rear window instead of glass, fuel cell instaed of dual tanks......hit the ol treadmill.

[VileZambonie]

liposuction

[fitz]

Is this a race truck? I've seen guys at the track cut the floor from the bed to reduce weight, but I would guess that just causes traction problems.
What are your goals for the truck?

[86gmc23]

Thought weight reduction was for ricers.. 

[1980c10]

I dont know whats on your truck now. but assuming stock.
spare tire and carrier, rear bumper remove and add a roll pan, 2nd fuel tank, add on items such as brush guards/running boards etc, hitch, bumper guards, stereo, could just about gut the interior too. really would help to let u know what the purpose of this truck is.

[bobcooter]

Install an aluminum intake manifold and headers. Alloy wheels. Skinny front tires. Aluminum heads. Inflate the tires with helium. (Just kidding). Get a skinny girlfriend.

[modular93fox]

your looking at it all wrong, you dont need weight reduction, you need more horsepower to overcome the weight you already have...
clint

[78 Chevyrado]

what truck do you have?  Some of these trucks are like a the salesman said at the lincoln dealership...   if you gotta ask what MPG it gets, you can't afford it....

There's not too much to do other than buy fiberglass panels, but you could buy a lot of gas for what all that costs.

[fitz]

As others have pointed out many times before on this site, if you want mileage, pick up a 4cyl-5 speed beater on craigslist for under $1000.
You can spend a small fortune on overdrives and lightweight body panels, but in the end it's still a 4000+ pound barn door fighting it's way through the airstream.

[markdilljr]

Ok I can afford gas, its a 84 long bed 1/2 ton 2wd. I am building a pro street truck that will still be street legal, its not all about mpg but the more weight you take off the more power you free up, its not all about HP you need to look at torque as well, high HP dont mean nothing for the launch, you can have 1000 HP in a heavy truck and it not move as well as if your truck was lighter. Yes it will have skinny front tires and 18 1/2 inch wide rears with a tubed out frame. I know there is other ways to reduce weight without going to fiberglass, I grew up at capital raceway ( drag racing motorcycles with my dad ) but decided to build a nice truck, it wont be at the track but it will be a bad street truck, thanks for the input I guess i will have to look at some of the racing sites for the answers I need.

[fitz]

I guess i will have to look at some of the racing sites for the answers I need.

I'm guessing they will tell you not to build a pro street 84 long bed Chevy and then expect great mpg's out of it.

[topp]

Or if they tell you go for it, They will tell you to go to a custom tube frame, fiberglass everything else, and still need gobs of torque and horsepower...