GT weights

[Dana Loomis <dloomis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

As usual, John Hertzman gave a thorough, well-researched response to Bob
Brady's question about the weights of various versions of the 105/115
coupe.  Like Bob, I have heard repeatedly that the GT Jr is on the order of
300 lbs (136 kg) lighter than the 2000 GTV.  For this reason, the Juniors
are supposed to be a better starting point for racing cars.  

John's figures suggest a somewhat smaller difference, but still a
substantial one.  Allowing for 12 gallons of fuel, 2 gallons of coolant,
and 2 gallons of oil, and assuming all of the fluids weighed the same as
water (which is generous for the fuel and oil) the wet weight of the 2000
GTV would be roughly 1040 kg--about 118 more than a '66-'72 GT 1300 Jr.
Besides the simpler interior and trim, the Junior apparently had no
undercoating and very little sound-deadening material.  Since there was
never a  US version of the Junior, the weight of any US-mandated safety and
emission-control equipment, like the door beams, evaporative emission tank,
etc, would figure into the difference as well.

I don't see, however, how any of this would account for a substantial
difference in the weight of racing cars based on a GT Jr vs a 1750/2000
GTV.  With either car, you'd strip out the unnecessary bits like
undercoating, AC, radios, consoles, and the rest.  I'd think the bare shell
should weigh about the same, unless the Junior was built of thinner steel
or had fewer structural reinforcing members.  Can anyone shed light on this
question?  I'm interested, because I recently considered buying a Junior
for this purpose.

Dana

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End of alfa-digest V7 #241
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