Thread: How much doese your 32 roadster weigh?

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After responding to godspeed32 about spring rates, and reading other opinions on spring rates I started wondering if anybody else has weighed there cars. I about fell over when I got mine weighed at a certified weight station. 2440# I honestly thought it would weigh in at 1800#. The engine is all aluminum aluminum flywheel, Richmond transmission aluminum, aluminum drive shaft, aluminum 3rd member and aluminum Currie housing. Just the center of the housing is aluminum.
How much does yours weigh? No fibbing allowed

My Wescott bodied 32 highboy roadster with 462" Buick weighed 2400# on the NHRA scale at March Meet a few years back.

Not too bad when you consider the added weight of the T-400 over the T-350, four point 2 1/2" x .120 wall roll bar and cloth top.

Fwiw, the 400, 430 & 455 Buicks weigh only 15# more than an SBC if you swap the 70#+ intake manifold for an aluminum one - which I did.

Most 32 highboy roadster's are reputed to come in at 2300#.
These cars run the usual 350, T-350, 9" combo.
(I've seen two of these highboys run about 112 mph in the mid-high 12s in street trim, mild SBC's and slicks. One of them was a mildly built 327.)

Doing a little reasonable extrapolation it looks like my Brookville bodied 31 on 32 rails project highboy roadster will come in at 2200#.
I'm not being overly weight conscious like the drag race troops, but I ain't getting crazy with the heavy stuff either.
It'll also be powered by a 462" Buick and if things work out right a pair of Edelbrock aluminum heads.
Not sure about a top on this one, maybe later, that ol' Arizona desert sun can get to you pretty fast.

It gets a 4 point roll bar as well.

One thing to keep in mind about farm scales and the like, they don't seem to weigh very accurately at the lower ranges.

Best bet is to weigh one corner of the car at a time on a 1000# capacity balance scale.
Add the weights and you should be within a couple of pounds as well as knowing which corner of the car weighs the most.
Be sure and make three leveling blocks of scale height so the car sits level on the scales.

A guesstimate for sure, but it looks like there's about 1400# on the front of my 32 and 1000# on the rear.
Probably why it spins the tires so easy.
Not that 520-530# of torque has anything to do with it....

Denny - not knowing what exactly is going into yours I would expect that something less than 3000 would be very possible. My 34 Plymouth 2 door sedan is all steel (no glass no place) with a sbc 350/th400 and a Vette rear and it weighs in at 3240 lbs. I would think yours would be less.

.....Ken, my '32 3 window highboy {Redneck Street Rods fiberglass body} weighted 2450 on the certified scales at the local truck stop. Turbo 400, small block Chev. with aluminum heads, 9" Ford rear, with a/c, aluminum radiator..... Yes, it does seem like yours would weight less, with all the aluminum that you have.... But 1800 is around what a 'T' bucket wights, isn't it???.... Bill

Good thread. Does anyone know where to find component weights for car parts. Like engine, trans., etc.
Just wondering if anybody has ever compiled a reference list or web site of weights of various car parts?

The "Z" is at just under 1800 right now. Since I last scaled it some stuff has been added & some has been cut off so I don't have a def. # right now. I'll be happy with anything under 3,000 when it's done.

[QUOTE=pro70z28]Does anyone know where to find component weights for car parts. Like engine, trans., etc.
Just wondering if anybody has ever compiled a reference list or web site of weights of various car parts?

This one gives engine weights http://www.team.net/sol/tech/engine.html

Originally Posted by billlsbird

.....Ken, my '32 3 window highboy {Redneck Street Rods fiberglass body} weighted 2450 on the certified scales at the local truck stop. Turbo 400, small block Chev. with aluminum heads, 9" Ford rear, with a/c, aluminum radiator..... Yes, it does seem like yours would weight less, with all the aluminum that you have.... But 1800 is around what a 'T' bucket wights, isn't it???.... Bill

I'm sure that was wishful thinking but 2440 just doesn't seem right. I think I will try it again somewhere else. The company I used is actually who the DMV suggested.
Ken

When I get mine done I have access to calibrated and extremely accurate individual digital wheel scales (1 lbf resolution to 7500 lb each) and I will report back. With and without my fat butt in it.

Kitz

1800 would be pretty light for a '32. The only frame of reference I have right now is our Super Comp T Roadster. It weighed 1600, and there was nothing there except a tube chassis, a glass T body and a small block chevy. 2400 sounds right in the ballpark.

My glass bodied,steel bed,sbf powered,c4 shifted ,28model a roadster p/u weighs 1800 lbs, nhra scales.

heavier frames and roll bars will weigh up. I built my bucket way to heavy but it sits now at 2800 lbs(nova front clip susp)
I give it all the 500 has at the line till the front tires push and there is hardly any frame movement.

My 32 with Small Block and R700 trans, 8 inch ford rear scaled out at 2350
Harwood body, Just a Hobby Chassis

Rich........

Rich King, Is that with fenders and bumpers? Sadly I think the Model A bumpers are much heavier than the nice '32 bumpers. I plan to have my roadster weighed at a landfill site which weighs a truck with load on entering and reweighs the truck upon exit, but I suspect that scale is pretty rough. I have used that scale to dispose of up to 500 pounds of brush and tree stumps but it looks like a pretty coarse scale.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Originally Posted by Don Shillady

I plan to have my roadster weighed at a landfill site which weighs a truck with load on entering and reweighs the truck upon exit, but I suspect that scale is pretty rough.

All of the scales in my area that are at landfills have to the certified .. by the state for being correct. I have been told that federal regulations require it. IF you have a circle track racer friend and he is sucessful, he will have a set a four portable scales to weigh the car. They go under each wheel and tell you how much weight is on each wheel and the total weight. My roadster is 51/49 front to rear and 20 pounds heavier on the right side and almost 15 pounds heavier on the right rear.

Deuce, Can you comment on your address as "Deuceland"?

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder