I was at that line and crossed it with out realizing it. I was able to recover because I saved 99% my stock parts.
If you want weight reduction it does not have to be permeant. You can un bolt things for the weekend. like rear deck stereo, rear seat. passenger seat. Light weight rims are expensive and will help as well. alum FW. alum DS.
You can also just remove the front and rear bumper and keep them off. (I did it) Air-conditioning removal another 35 pounds. This is when you are very close to that line.
Remove those tail pipes and heavy mufflers. Bullets for the light weight and race car sound! Just enough back pressure there.
Don't forget the coil over up front for further weight savings. the removal of the front sway bar too.
Now what you have is a quick car with some motor mods. Pushing lets say 315-350 rear wheel. running mid low 11's.
What you also have are noisy tires lots of straight line traction in the sunny dry weather. If it rains your not happy. Your suspension is not terrible even though you have adjustable struts and shocks…. until you realize your taking that off ramp a little too fast. Ok you slowed down you can breath now your skinny front tires and alum. rims did not fold on you.
Now you get home and realize you have a headache from all the noise and fumes from the dumps and the 4.56's whine like a *****. The exhaust does sound awesome through the x-pipe and the 4.56's do rev up quick.
After a while you grow tired of removing the interior and putting it back in to go to the track. so you leave the back seat and the rear deck out. and just put the passenger seat back in. If you real hardcore you swap the drivers seat for the passenger seat and save 10-15 more pounds. lol I did this too!
When it's all over after 15 years you go up in the attic and get everything and undo almost all of the work you did. I just finished this job. Actually I still need to put the front bumper support back in.
You get your sway bar back on and some stiffer springs along with an exhaust that exits through the rear of the car. (I saved my stock tail pipes) You listen to your radio while driving on the expressway with your 4.10 gear that has zero whine while not being the slowest car on the expressway. Wow I can actually hear what the kids are saying and they did not need their harbor freight ear muff protection to go for a ride with their Dad. All new front and rear control arms shocks struts real street tires. The car actually feels better than the day I drove it off the lot. Insert smile here
I never regretted it one bit though. The car was a beast back in the day. Won a local championship in 2007 IMSM Street Intimidator. Went to the semi finals at NMRA but red lit by .004 slept in my car all weekend too and I almost did it. Car made 3 magazine appearances also. I put a lot of time in this car and at one time it was my life. There was not a day that went by when I put my head to my pillow that I was thinking of what part I need next or what could I do to make it better faster. My kids need me now so I will drive it to their baseball football games and gymnastic events.
One more reason that put the icing on the cake…. when GT's started making 400 hp out of the factory it was time to let it go. When stock cobras ran mid 11's in the 1/4 with just an exhaust and gears on drag radials at full weight I was like whoa!
This past month I brought it back and I am as excited to drive it as I was in 1998 when I pulled it off the lot 16 years and 4 days ago.
Thats my story Dan
