Did anyone do a before and after weight?

Hi,

I know this has been answered a hundred times on various boards, but all are lacking something...proof! Has anyone actually weighted their car before and after a swap. I too, have failed here, I have an awesome early 944 with a LS1, BMW HB, and no air conditioning, but have failed to do a before and after! Lets hear from others that have been more diligent than me.

ciao,
Gord.

If you do a search you will find a thread on weight, here is what I posted when I completed my conversion, since then I have added Hydraboost.

"Post  fliermike45 on Fri Feb 24, 2012 3:44 pm
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944 Wiki states that 88 944 weighs 2932 lbs.
I weighed my 948 today on a public scale it was 3060 lbs.
Seems it gained 128 pounds

Subtractions:
944 Engine and clutch, 944 NA Transaxle and drive shafts. 944 engine accessories, brake master and booster. Radiator, headlights and motor assembly, front body crossmember , front and rear bumpers and shocks, nose and tail body fairings. All 944 rotors and calipers. Phone dial wheels. Hood latch landing panel and cross member. Side view mirrors, stock exhaust system.

Additions:
C5 LS1 and clutch, F body engine accessories, Wilwood brake master, 951 Transaxle and uprated drive shafts, Griffin radiator, TPC front body crossmember and headlights, IFC Wide body nose and tail. Boxster front rotors, Lexus Calipers, 951 rear rotors, Rx7 calipers, Cup 2 style wheels 7" and 9"
KLA Strut and anti roll bar braces. Hood pin mount plates. 968 side view mirrors.
Magnaflow 2 in 2 out muffler, dual Magnaflow resonators, twin tube system, RH headers.

Exchanges:
Front and rear shocks, front suspension bushes. Fuel pump.

No interior changes. Full fuel tank.

It also had a new windshield two weeks ago, original cracked at the top edge on passenger side.

Other than the 948 badge on the rear there is not many clues as to what's under the hood as a few unsuspecting drivers have found out."

Some one just posted a link to one that weighs 2775. Another variable is how the car is weighed, dry or wet and with or without options.
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Quick google search estimates a turbo model with 1/2 tank of gas at 3100 #. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Sample weights here in the panel on the left hand side.

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"Sample weights here in the panel on the left hand side."

Curb weight
pre-1988: 1,180 kg (2,601 lb)
1988+: 1,330 kg (2,932 lb)
1986 Turbo: 1,360 kg (2,998 lb)
1987+ Turbo: 1,416 kg (3,122 lb)

This illustrates why I asked if anyone actually weighed their car, before and after.  I know the internet is full of answers, but -
"pre-1988: 1,180 kg (2,601 lb)"
is rubbish!  A 83 and a 87 both weight 2601lbs??  Really...

OK Mr. Smartass.

Here is the data PRINTED IN MY PORSCHE 944 HANDBOOK
944/2844
944S/2866
944 Turbo/2998

The book is WKD 94402188 Dated 9/87

Launch car listed here at 1180 KG

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Sorry there Mr.123, didn't mean to offend!! lol, internet forums! I too have a book, and it has the same weights as yours, for a very different car! The books are very general. They don't update the book for installed or deleted options.

So, I guess the answer to my question is, - no, very few people do a before and after weight.

Thanks.

Guess I will refit the original motor etc and get a weight.

Is there someone out there with a stock 944? Please go to your local landfill or truck stop and get it weighed.

On our previous board, Doug's 1986 944 Turbo gained ~75 Lbs when he installed an LT1 with aluminum heads. The change in front-to-rear bias was less than a 1/4%.

Just weighed mine today to get the before weight:
1986 N/A without A/C compressor
with (heavy) Borbet Cup Replica wheels (17x7.5 front and 17x10 rears)
10in subwoofer box in back seat & amp in spare tire well
car seat in back seat
spare tire still in place
full tank of gas (topped off less than a mile from where I weighed it)
weighed with a set of LongAcre scales

2910 lbs
52.3% to the rear
695 LF & 692 RF
749 LR & 774 RR

Not too bad, since a full tank of gas is like 120-130 lbs, never mind the other misc. stuff I listed.
I will update this after the swap too, weighed with the same scales.

Thanks jHo! Thats what I'm talking about, real "before and after" weights! Look forward to the next weigh in. What you putting in?

ciao,
Gord.

'87 944, ITS race car, interior stripped and caged, original body and glass except sunroof replaced with a plastic panel and headlight motor pulled.

before swap, fuel tank empty, 15x7 phone dials, 185 lb driver
2730 lbs, 51% front

after swap, half tank fuel, 17x9 CupII wheels, 170 lb driver
3035 lbs, 53% front

swap is an LS1 with a bigger radiator, front mounted oil cooler and Accusump. also upgraded to an AOR trans with cooler and m030 brakes. And I added a passenger race bucket and belts.

Rich, are you trying to say finishing the LS swap is worth 15lbs of blood, sweat and tears? Or is that just how much lighter your wallet is now

hah! but no, different driver. race car build was done by the previous owner.

I'm going with an LS3 crate at the stock 430hp.
Just looking for a "reliable" street car, with AC, that will see some occasional DE track days.
Years ago, I had gone with coil-overs up front, Bilstiens all around, adj. camber plates, and strut tower brace. But that's about it.
Last year, I needed to replace the trans, so I went with a Turbo trans, to prepare for this. Also, I have already mounted 6-piston Wilwoods on the front, and I will be going with Ford Hydroboost for the swap.
Ordered & received the engine, controller, accessory drive kit, and radiator. Should be seeing all the fun stuff from TPC next week (hopefully).

I'll post a bunch more on the build once we get into it. I'm having a local shop do the work for me, so it shouldn't take too long....hopefully.

OK, so for official before and after weights (see above in this post for details on my car):

Before -
2910 lbs (150hp, or at least that was the power 30 years ago)
52.3% to the rear
695 LF & 692 RF
749 LR & 774 RR

After -
3044 lbs (430hp, crate engine...so a pretty reliable number)
49.9% to the rear
766 LF & 758 RF
764 LR & 756 RR

That's about as close to 50/50 as you can get.

And for those of you keeping score 5% weight gain for 2.9 times the power.
282 hp/ton. Let's put that into perspective. Better than a:
1987 959 Turbo
2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro
2014 Camaro ZL1
2015 Corvette Stingray
2016 Mustang Shelby GT350
2010 Mustang Shelby GT500
2007 911 Turbo
1996 Viper GTS
2014 911 Carrera S
2004 Corvette Z06
2002 Viper GTS
2009 Nissan GTR

I'm not saying my car would beat these, cause there's a lot more to a drag race than just power to weight. But just to be in the same ballpark with any of these cars. It puts things into perspective.

Thanks jHo, XLNT info!

Andy

Finally!!!!!! Thank You!

Gord.

I was in the process of the conversion when this one was posted. I had done a before but not an after till today.
From a total weight perspective the car is an 86 951 with AC Power steering no spare but a stereo with a power amp and subwoofer where the wheel was. The engine is a 2002 Camaro LS1 and I have a pretty heavy Hydroboost. The rear seat is installed and the fuel was about 1/4 tank when I put it on the lift to start the conversion. Everything is back together as it was when I started the dissassembly except I just remembered the undertray is still not installed- maybe 5 or 6 lb. light. I've started it a number of times but not driven it so maybe a half gallon of gas lighter- another 4 lb.
The before weights were: 2959lb
LF 776 RF 779
LR 686 RR 718
The after is the attached pic
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Measured with the same scales which have been really close to race scales for a couple different race cars. I was really pleased. The Porsche engine and all Turbo plumbing and Intercooler was heavier than I thought it would be (459lb). The exhaust was really heavy too. The corner weights are not correct since I didn't level the scales but the totals should be right.

Thanks for this DS. Real data, not book data! What a great result, lighter than with the 4 banger.

Gord.

One of my jobs once was an engineering manager over the structure of the CH-53K helicopter. As an airplane guy I thought we were interested in weight but helicopters are REALLY interested in weight! Anyway, my intent was to weigh all the components in and out but I just got wrapped up in the work and missed several- don't think I'll disassemble to weigh them now. I also found that manufacturing variances were more than you might expect. I would not be surprised to find that individual cars would vary as much as +/- 40 lbs even when equipped the same way. So the absolute numbers are good for an understanding but the delta changes on a single car should be pretty accurate. I expect a 944 conversion adds weight but the 951 conversion didn't.
Now, when we start increasing the wheel size and brakes and.....different story. I may update as I do that.

DS, I understand the weight thing. I too, am an airplane guy, pilot and Van's RV builder. I can't get people to understand why removing 1 pound is important, especially if you can repeat it 50 times. Or more! I agree with your assessment of turbo cars becoming lighter, and NA cars becoming slightly heaver. Based only on LSx engines though. Anyway, my swap is an early car, which should be lighter. I removed ALL the AC, sound deadening material on the firewall (maybe a mistake?? LOL), used a built LS1 with a light flywheel, long tube headers and simple 4" single exhaust. This all adds "lightness". However, I also have S2 brakes and 17" Turbo twist wheels, which adds weight. I'll weight mine when I am able, but we're 3500 miles apart now and will be for awhile. Thanks for your input... I was getting frustrated with the book number quotes.

ciao.
Gord.

Just weighed mine yesterday. 1983 944 with a 4.8 ls engine, 3/4 tank of gas. I have pulled the window washer tank, engine light motor, rear bumper and spare tire. It weighed 2804 with no driver.

Thanks YAMA! Is the 4.8l an all aluminum motor??

Gord.