Weight Loss... heater, blower motor, Evaporater

[bhuff30]

I'm looking to loose some weight on the '88 without making it look striped down. I want it to appear on first glance as if I still have a full interior and a basically stock car.
Long ago, I yanked out the AC compressor, condensor and lines. I'm thinking it is time to remove the rest of the HVAC. If I remove the blower motor, ducting, condensor and heater, will the dash still properly fit and not rattle around? What else can I remove from behind the dash that no one will notice is gone?
I don't usually drive the car in the winter, so I doubt I'll miss the heat, and if it's hot, I can open the windows and sunroof.
So how much do each of these pieces weigh? Seems like it could be a substantial weight savings.
What else can be shed without making the car look stripped down? I already removed quite a bit of sound deadening from underneath the carpet, along with the spare tire.

 

[parrish5o]

Not sure exactly how much the blower motor, evaprator and heater weighs but every bit helps. I believe every 100lbs=10hp and .1 sec through the 1/4. No one would notice the sway bar missing but that made mine scary at highway speed so I put it right back on after I removed it. A set of draglites would remove a little bit of weight and don't forget swapping the driveshaft and anything else you can afford with aluminum.

 

[90lxcoupe]

the p/s system is heavy and also robs alot of power, ive heard of guys gaining 3 tenths with a short belt alone, that would be an 11 second time slip for you...

 

[bhuff30]

Dang, 3 tenths from a shorter belt? That is rediculous. I know the PS is heavy, but I didn't think it robbed that much power too. I'll have to see if I can figure out a way to run a shorter belt.

I've already removed the sway bars, and it wasn't too scary for me. The 2.3 might be a bit lighter though.

the p/s system is heavy and also robs alot of power, ive heard of guys gaining 3 tenths with a short belt alone, that would be an 11 second time slip for you...

 

[Cobra912]

I'm running draglite skinnys and no sway bar with drag only springs on the highway = no problems!

 

[ID89GT]

You could pour some slim fast down the gas fill nozzle. That will help loose some weight Haha jk, you could go tubular suspension stuff, would probably help quite a bit

 

[parrish5o]

Can you really pick up .3 by removing the ps pump. You've got me thinking about deleting mine now. I run 245/45/17s in front on the street when I don't have my slicks/skinnys on. I bet they would be a bi**h to turn with manual steering.

 

[Coast2CoaStang]

You could shed a couple pounds with a console armrest delete.

87-93 CONSOLE ARMREST DELETE, BLACK MUSTANG

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Swap out the stock K-Member for a nice tubular model. No need to give up the creature comforts and you'll lose more weight than all of them combined.

Relocate the battery to the trunk is another nice touch.....
Aluminum drive shaft....

 

[bhuff30]

Those are all great suggestions, but I was looking at removing the heater and blower motor because it is FREE. An aftermarket K-member and tubular supension is quite a bit expensive, and if I added an ford racing aluminum driveshaft, it would become the single most expensive part on my car, beating the nitto drag radials at 150$ each. And I like the look of 17s all around instead of skinnys. Skinny would be a dead giveaway that my car meant business.

So probably, I will look into a shorter belt, yank the HVAC stuff since it doesn't really get used anyway, and try putting the aerostar aluminum driveshaft on again.

 

[90lxcoupe]

Can you really pick up .3 by removing the ps pump. You've got me thinking about deleting mine now. I run 245/45/17s in front on the street when I don't have my slicks/skinnys on. I bet they would be a bi**h to turn with manual steering.

The steering isnt as bad as you would think, its actually pretty easy, when your stopped it takes a little muscle, but once you get going i actually like it better without the ps, cause you really get a better feel for what the car is doing.

I searched on the corral, and there were a few guys claiming 3 tenths, and it makes sense, that pump is working pretty hard even at idle, plust its a good 40 lbs at least off the nose of the car, where it counts

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Those are all great suggestions, but I was looking at removing the heater and blower motor because it is FREE.

I realize you said you rarely drive the car in the winter, so the heater and blower motor isn't a concern, but do you ever drive it in the rain, or park it outdoors? That early morning dew and thick rainy condensation ONLY comes off with a little heat from the defroster. You'll drive 40-min with your windows down just to see through your windshield otherwise.

Unless you plan on designating your car to track only duty, trust me when I tell you....its a bad idea...free or not.

 

[90lxcoupe]

I realize you said you rarely drive the car in the winter, so the heater and blower motor isn't a concern, but do you ever drive it in the rain, or park it outdoors? That early morning dew and thick rainy condensation ONLY comes off with a little heat from the defroster. You'll drive 40-min with your windows down just to see through your windshield otherwise.

Unless you plan on designating your car to track only duty, trust me when I tell you....its a bad idea...free or not.

+1, i didnt delete my HVAC system, but my heater core does leak, so i bypassed it, and the windows do fog up, and it sucks