Body / Glass: Fiberglass v. steel C/K body panel weight?

[WilburV]

I'm attempting to reduce the weight of a 53 Coupe and was wondering the value in using fiberglass versus steel fenders, hood and trunklid. Anyone out there have some real numbers on the weight savings using fiberglass C/K body panels?

[Welcome]

WELCOME ...to the SDC Forum!!!

[junior]

No hard facts here, but I would guess, in 'production form', 'glass is going to offer little weight savings over steel. Using glass on a race car is different, because usually hood, fenders, etc are just shells of what the sheet metal looked like from the outside of the car, with little or no regard to the actual use of the panel...for example a thin fiberglass fender without all the inner fender taken into consideration...so looks good from the outside but not as funtional as what is was originally designed to do from the factory, but loses a whole lot of weight. I'm sure others on this forum will give some hard facts...but in reality, for a fully functioning street driven car, glass will not offer a significant decrease in weight...if you want to put your driver on a diet there are easier ways. just my thoughts, Junior.

[hausdok]

I don't know the difference either but the fiberglass hood and lower nose piece on my Packard Hawk were surprisingly heavy when I removed them. I'd guess that sheet metal would have been half the weight.

Saw some stats somewhere that the '53 Corvette with it's 6 cylinder engine, shorter wheelbase and fiberglass body was only about 300 lbs less than a Studebaker Hawk with a V8.

[DEEPNHOCK]

Street, or race?
There are a couple of fiberglass body panel people out there making Studebaker pieces.
The 'street weight' 'glass panels are pretty close to the sheet metal stuff in weight.
But they need that extra material for rigidity and strength.
Race weight 'glass is just that...Race weight.. Where street bouncing around and weather are not a big factor.

But, weight is weight. And removing weight is usually easier and cheaper than building power.
Up to a certain point, then it all gets expensive...
HTIH
Jeff
PS: Here's a couple of suppliers...

http://www.classglassperformance.com/53%20Studebaker.html

http://www.superiorglassworks.com/SKU-1953STUDE-p/1953stude.htm

I'm attempting to reduce the weight of a 53 Coupe and was wondering the value in using fiberglass versus steel fenders, hood and trunklid. Anyone out there have some real numbers on the weight savings using fiberglass C/K body panels?

[Deaf Mute]

I have lifted and moved the (modified) hood of the late Ron Hall's Avanti... it is a heck of a lot heavier than the stock hood on my Avanti (of course they are both fiberglas). But I bet the Avanti hood is very close in weight to the steel hood on my 1953 coupe.
Back in "the day", die hard racers would "acid dip" their steel fenders... but I am sure they destroyed many before they got the timing correct & we ain't got no Stude fenders to sacrifice!

[candbstudebakers]

I don't know how much difference there is between the two on a c/k rear fender but I do have one in fiberglass and my guess it is twice as heavy as the tin one, it is about 1/4" thick and needs to be to be straight, the other items with curves might be thinner because of the curves, any one want the fiberglass one let me know and I will bring to South Bend in May.

[PlainBrownR2]

Street, or race?
There are a couple of fiberglass body panel people out there making Studebaker pieces.
The 'street weight' 'glass panels are pretty close to the sheet metal stuff in weight.
But they need that extra material for rigidity and strength.
Race weight 'glass is just that...Race weight.. Where street bouncing around and weather are not a big factor.

But, weight is weight. And removing weight is usually easier and cheaper than building power.
Up to a certain point, then it all gets expensive...
HTIH
Jeff
PS: Here's a couple of suppliers...

http://www.classglassperformance.com...tudebaker.html

http://www.superiorglassworks.com/SK.../1953stude.htm

Yep, want a little more getup and go from your Stude, and some free horsepower too? Remove the carpet, padding, radio, AC, front seats, back seats, spare tire, jack, glass(if you can swing making Lexan panels), anything that does nothing for holding the car together, or making it go any faster. If you really wanna get nuts, start removing metal from the body and support structure. It's all about horsepower to weight if you're going to the strip. Then if that's not enough, and the fiberglass doesn't do it for ya, take the fiberglass panels, and use them to mold some carbon fiber panels. I'm not talking about the stuff you stick on the dash, I mean the full blown stuff they use for aerospace products. While the car is completely gutted, cut out parts of the floor and put in carbon fiber sheet panels. If you do carbon fiber right, it will take a few pounds off the body, and the material will be light, but very strong. Of course you'll have quite a bit of money in it by that point, and a vehicle that may do only one thing, but do it better than before .

[ralt12]

What is your target weight?

[3x2stude]

I have race glass weight hood and rear deck for a 56-64 Hawk. I can weight them them compared to steel parts I have. I cant do it though for at least two weeks do to work commitments and where the parts are. I bought them for the same reason so I am interested myself. PM me with your email and phone number.

Jon Kammer

[WilburV]

What is your target weight?

Final targeted weight is 2800 lbs dry and with a full interior, as this will be a street car. The biggest weight savings will be in the drivetrain, starting with a GM LS engine, aluminum bellhousing, GM t-5 transmission, aluminum driveshaft and 8.8 Ford 8.8 IRS based rear end.

[ralt12]

Clearly achievable. My car is 2675 without glass and rugs, but it does have the Morrison chassis as well, which I think is lighter. The front suspension on the Stude, especially that main front crossmember, weighs more than most, I'd wager. The engine alone is close to 300 lbs lighter, and the trans from the Stude (that I didn't weigh), I'd guess, is quite a bit heavier. Driveshaft is probably heavier, as the Stude driveshafts are little bitty things, and the rear end is probably a tossup.

That's all steel, as well.

[studegary]

Final targeted weight is 2800 lbs dry and with a full interior, as this will be a street car. The biggest weight savings will be in the drivetrain, starting with a GM LS engine, aluminum bellhousing, GM t-5 transmission, aluminum driveshaft and 8.8 Ford 8.8 IRS based rear end.

That shouldn't be hard to achieve. The base weight of a 1953 Champion coupe is 2695 pounds and a 1953 Commander coupe is 3040 pounds. Just switching to lighter drivetrain components should give you your target weight without going to fiberglass body panels.

[3x2stude]

OK, heres the skinny on some of the glass vs. steel body parts.
Steel-
'53 rear deck, 39.4 lbs.
'53 hood, 49.2 lbs.
'57 hood, 48.7 lbs.

Race Glass-
'62 GT rear deck, 17.6 lbs.
'57 hood, 24.0 lbs.

There is a ton of stuff you can do to drop the weight of the Stude if you use your imagination, no different than any other car. Look at an old thread from 10JAN11, "Weight savings - V8". Check that old thread, there are some useful ideas on weight savings. My daughter would tell me that the best way to make the Stude go faster is to go on a diet!

JK