Question about weighing a car before beginning the project?

[bmbrzmn101]

Hey there guys, I need to ask a question. I am going to start working on my 1967 Elcamino shortly and it will be a long rebuild due to cost and just recently being laid off. So here is the question.
Before I begin tear down should I weigh the car for corner weights? I would like to do this so I have a better understanding of what was accomplished after all the work will be done. Does that make sense? Right now she is a resto mod with a H~O Racing suspension from 25 years ago(corners well but is stiff w/no adjustment) 283/powerglide. Nothing fancy but I have owned her since I bought her from my Dad at 14. He bought her when I was 5(40 years ago). So I have an emotional attachment to her. The money that will be thrown at her is hard to come by but I don't care if when I am done I have more than a new car price tag in it. I just want to see the changes I am making will be for the better. And part of that is with numbers.

Yes I plan on auto crossing a bit but I live among some of the best roads around and want to just drive her and enjoy it while doing it.

I am sure I will be back with more questions but will start with the scales. Also if anyone has some scales and would like to rent them so I can weigh the elky, I would like to talk to you. Or if you are nearby I will cover your travel cost and pay you for your time.

Thanks, Chris Phelps

[andrewb70]

Hey there guys, I need to ask a question. I am going to start working on my 1967 Elcamino shortly and it will be a long rebuild due to cost and just recently being laid off. So here is the question.
Before I begin tear down should I weigh the car for corner weights? I would like to do this so I have a better understanding of what was accomplished after all the work will be done. Does that make sense? Right now she is a resto mod with a H~O Racing suspension from 25 years ago(corners well but is stiff w/no adjustment) 283/powerglide. Nothing fancy but I have owned her since I bought her from my Dad at 14. He bought her when I was 5(40 years ago). So I have an emotional attachment to her. The money that will be thrown at her is hard to come by but I don't care if when I am done I have more than a new car price tag in it. I just want to see the changes I am making will be for the better. And part of that is with numbers.

Yes I plan on auto crossing a bit but I live among some of the best roads around and want to just drive her and enjoy it while doing it.

I am sure I will be back with more questions but will start with the scales. Also if anyone has some scales and would like to rent them so I can weigh the elky, I would like to talk to you. Or if you are nearby I will cover your travel cost and pay you for your time.

Thanks, Chris Phelps

Chris,

I used to have the old HO racing on my GTO. I installed it around 1991.

I have to be honest, the HO racing suspension really worked. You have really reached a point of diminishing returns. From here on out whatever you invest will yield very little returns in terms of cornering performance.

What sort of mods are you planning? If it was me, and I was on a limited budget, I would leave the suspension alone and do a LS swap. A 5.3L with a 4L60E trans will make your El Camino fun to drive and get 20+ mpg to boot.

Andrew

[bmbrzmn101]

Well I have a 5.3 in my everyday driver Tahoe that I have thinking about transplanting, but I am already building a 383 stroker with efi that I would like to back up with a six speed. There are many reasons for going either way but the voices in my head keep talking to me to do this other thing.

I want the big wilwood 6P brakes front and 4P in rear whick neccesitate a change in rims.
For that I really would like to run the Forgeline VX3C's. So if I am going to get new shoes for the old girl let's go ahead and make them the size that I want. 335/30 18's.

Yep my brain is a scary place to live. I rebuilt her 25 years ago and she is leaking all over and the 72 chevelle disc brake swap I did just has never felt as solid as more modern brakes, so it is all about the pursuit of my dream rt now. No rational thought except for the overall design and which parts might work the best together. Don't get me wrong the H~O racing package has been wonderful. Last fall I took it out for spin up our mountain drive(13 miles long with some fun drop offs) and lovede the handling but the brakes and seats just made me a wee bit nervous as much as I was pushing it. So I have decided to go back through her and do some mods I have been thinking about for years. My wife is a street rodder at heart and not into muscles cars so some of the mods will be to appease her, the rest are for performance. The mods and replacements are long and will take awhile anyway between life and family commitments anyway. So I am looking at all options, just want to build it this time the way I have dreamed of.

And as to the weighing of the car, I am more interested in a baseline corner weight so I can see when I make my mods how everything changes when I am done.

I hope this rambling makes sense, I am tired this afternoon. No sleep last night.

I will be running her as is for a little while longer just planning a big change for the car and me.

Thanks for the response,
Chris