http://www.fixrambler.com/art62.html

This list puts a 225 at 475lbs which is probably pretty close for an early engine without air injection, EGR, etc. Same chart lists a 440 at 760lbs which would also be an early non-smog version.

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Joshua

760 lbs my 440 doesn't look that heavy

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Bone stock 1966 dodge dart, powered by a 145hp 225

I hate to do it but I've got to weigh in on this too.
VFN's fiberglass is just like most fiberglass car parts out there; which is to say not only does it not fit well, it's not that light either.
My business is carbon fiber, and I have supplied not only funnycar teams like John Force Racing in the past, to pro stock car and bike teams in the present, but other exotica like Vipers and Ferarris to Indy cars. In fact, the mid year NHRA rule revision for pro stock engines was because we were building carbon fiber pushrods and rocker arms for P/S cars, and NHRA banned them.
As an example; a hobby racer ( a well funded hobby racer, I might add) in Tulsa a few years ago came to us and asked to have the Nissan "racing weight" fiberglass replaced with our carbon fiber manufacturing system. On just the fenders, hood and front valance panel, we cut 125 pounds off the car's weight. All of the fiberglass parts out there are junk, which must be so heavily braced to make them functional; there is rarely a net weight loss. It's not just using carbon fiber which makes a difference; just look at all the dweeb's in ricer's and you see "carbon" hoods; under an inch of clear coat which weigh more than the factory plastic or steel part.
Moparhd can attest to this. He was showing off our Neon hood a couple of years ago at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show and almost broke his hand on our stronger, lighter system. Our Neon hood weighed 4.5 pounds, and was stronger, and stiffer than a factory steel part. (he did manage to 'dent' our part though, but no biggie. Moparhd can also tell you its hard for us to take on hobby projects that aren't well funded because of our limited manpower and busy schedule.
It just happens that I've been needing a set of cherry '66 Dart parts to make the molds so I can convert my '65 to a '66. So; does this give anybody any ideas?

OK, I'll bite. How does your CF compare price wise to fiberglass?

I know that CF is lighter than 'glass, but calling all 'glass junk is just a little far fetched here. I have seen lots of good quality 'glass.

Just for a reference, we just installed a CF nose on a '69 Camaro from Joe VanOverbeek. It weighed 16# before bracing. I am not privy to the price on Joe's front, but I would have to guess it was 3 times what a glass nose cost, but was about 1/2 the weight.

Please PM me your shop name and such. My boss is always looking for a good source for CF.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

By saying you've seen good quality glass are you saying it fit just as good or better than a factory produced stock part? That all the body lines match perfectly and are just as sharp and crisp; all the bolt holes drilled and in place correctly? Because that's my definition of quality.
Not being confrontational here, just trying to see what the parameters are.
I would call 16 pounds obscenely overwieght for a race front end. That, and our stuff needs virtually no bracing as we are building parts to aerospace specs (that's the industry I came from) whereas most car composite guys come from, "Oh, I used to fix boats/ corvettes". It's an apples to oranges comparision.
Yes, our production process is expensive; almost in the 'if you have to ask you can't afford it' category. It's also unlike any carbon parts you've ever seen. After checking around at some of the fiberglass suppliers' prices yesterday, I'd say you are probably in the ball park with 3 times the cost.
Without dominating the thread (or is it too late?) let me explain that done correctly, which is to say using pre-preg material cured under vacuum in an oven or autoclave, carbon fiber is ten times the strength of steel by weight. Think about it. If you have a specific weight you need to hit, you can make a carbon part 1/10th the weight. If strength is more the issue, you can make it weigh the same as steel and be ten time stronger. You can slide those figures up and down the engineering scale as the particular task requires. So weigh your steel front end, then weigh your fiberglass front end. Is it one tenth the weight; and did extra bracing have to be added? Because if that is the case, the carbon or E-glass (no mis print, fiberglass is called E-glass) parts are not done right. I'll pm you and if you send me an email address, I'll forward some of the project which I can show you we have done.
Lastly, I'm not looking to bring in a bunch of automotive work right now, my shop core group of guys is dedicated to a large wind turbine project which is going to pretty much max us out into next year. But I'd be willing to do some weekend work for a '66 Dart project!

Never try to put your fist through a carbon fiber part that has kevlar in it. You will pull back a busted up fist with less skin on it !

Yeah, and you'll also scare the living crap out of about 30,00 people!!
It sounded like something blew up when you hit that thing!

Wow, I appreciate the Heads-Up on that one. I was just about to go do that!

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

You'd have had to been there, I suppose. He was doing a demonstration of our products at the Performance Racing Industry trade show in Indy a couple of years ago.

I rubber hammer would have been just as effective and a lot less painful.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.