1973 Gran Torino weight |
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colonelsandersman
Member Joined: 26-August-2011 Location: Clear Lake MN Status: Offline Points: 64 |
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Posted: 13-March-2014 at 8:50AM |
Tried a simple search for the weight of a 1973 Gran Torino, all I got was a range between 3,600 and 4,300 lbs. I have a 73 Formal roof, with a 351w. Does anyone know the actual weight. Wikipedia quoted nearly 4400 for a 73 sport roof but that seems high, I'm guessing maybe a solid 3900 for my car but I really have no clue. I'm sure this has been beaten to death but any good weight savings, or shaving ideas I could do to get the weight down, I'm talking out of the ordinary something that I might not be thinking of. All the AC components are gone up to the heater box, I can think of spare, rear seat, aluminum heads intake ect. I'm talking different, and easy. I've seen eliminating inner fenders drilling out the steel bumper behind the cover, what can you guys think of?
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Jake
1973 Gran Torino |
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dave302
Senior Member Joined: 08-October-2009 Location: usa Status: Offline Points: 3171 |
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There was a discussion about this subject, where certain members discussed the weights of their Torino's (from the different years of 1972 through 1976) and a member also discussed how he had his Torino weighed on all four corners of the vehicle. Edited by dave302 - 19-March-2014 at 12:49AM |
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Dan the ranchero man
Senior Member Joined: 24-July-2011 Location: Mchenry,IL Status: Offline Points: 1173 |
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does your car still have the tag in the driver door jam? The weight would be posted on that tag. Depending on options you cars weight could vary from one torino to another.
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californiajohnny
Moderator Group Joined: 05-October-2013 Location: winlock, wa Status: Offline Points: 14606 |
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my 74 351w weighs 4,100 lbs
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JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE 74 VETTE CUSTOM 90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED 77 CELICA CUSTOM 75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED 79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED 75 VEGA V6 5 SPD 70 CHEV C10 P/U 68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION |
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72FordGTS
Admin Group GTS.org Admin Joined: 06-September-2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Offline Points: 5802 |
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The 4400 on Wiki is from a Car and Driver article. That was the "test weight" of the 1973 GTS CJ auto they tested. I have the article. The other weights on Wiki are shipping weights and are not really accurate to real world weight.
Around here the when the truck scales are closed, you can drive your car on them to weight them (the display still works). I am pretty sure the door jamb (at least on my car) only shows GVWR. This is just the maximum weight the car can weigh when fully loaded. So it's basically the car + max load = GVWR. If you know your vehicle weight then you can find out your true payload. Payload = GVWR - actual vehicle weight. This is useful for pickups, since the quoted payloads are often not the real world payloads. Edited by 72FordGTS - 13-March-2014 at 2:29PM |
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Vince
1972 Ford GTS Sportsroof - Survivor, One Family car GTS.org Admin |
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colonelsandersman
Member Joined: 26-August-2011 Location: Clear Lake MN Status: Offline Points: 64 |
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Geez, where is all this weight coming from, the gm A bodies were full frame I think and they don't weigh nearly this much. It's not like our car have any safety features, besides good ole Uncle Sam bumpers, is there some redundant steel welded in somewhere im missing. What's the lightest anyone's seen for our cars; quite frankly Wikipedia quoting 3300 lbs on the weight range for '72 has me very, very curious, if not skeptic.
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Jake
1973 Gran Torino |
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dave302
Senior Member Joined: 08-October-2009 Location: usa Status: Offline Points: 3171 |
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The lightest 1972 torino that i have ever heard of was a 1972 two door base model torino formal roof (not gran torino), it had a 250 cubic inch six cylinder engine, a one barrel carburetor and a three speed standard transmission (not an automatic transmission). This car had no extra options ordered when it was new. It did not even have a radio, it did not have any power accessories like power steering, power brakes, power windows or power seats and it did not have air conditioning. This car came from the factory with only the mandatory equipment like a heater, front windshield defroster, windshield wipers, a speedometer, a fuel gage, lights, directional signals and seat belts. So it had a smaller wire harness, a smaller lighter alternator, and a smaller lighter weight battery. I had heard that this car weighed only 3,370 pounds. If this weight was accurate, it would have been the torino's shipping weight, not the curb weight.
This was also the lowest priced torino available for 1972.
Edited by dave302 - 19-March-2014 at 4:09PM |
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dave302
Senior Member Joined: 08-October-2009 Location: usa Status: Offline Points: 3171 |
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The 1972 base model torino with the 250 6 cylinder also had a lighter 8 inch rear end (although the heavier 9 inch rear end was an available option at an extra cost), some people even ordered them with a lighter weight/lower cost full rubber floor covering/mat instead of the heavier more expensive carpet with a carpet backing like the gran torino has. The 1972 base model torino also has a different hood, front grill and front bumper (with no header panel) compared to the '72 gran torino. The '72 base model torino also had the lower cost base model interior. All of these things including the other things that i listed before, might have possibly reduced the overall weight of the car down to 3,370 pounds total shipping weight.
Edited by dave302 - 19-March-2014 at 4:24PM |
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dave302
Senior Member Joined: 08-October-2009 Location: usa Status: Offline Points: 3171 |
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Here are a couple of pictures of a 1972 base model torino. The lower cost base model front bumper, hood and grill with no front header panel might have reduced even more pounds, when compared to the slightly heavier, more expensive/higher quality gran torino parts. I do not mean to say negative things about the base model torino, i know that there are many people who own them, like them and restore them and i have even heard of a few people who turned their gran torino into a base model torino on purpose.
Edited by dave302 - 19-March-2014 at 4:26PM |
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unlovedford
Senior Member Joined: 17-December-2010 Location: Tennessee Status: Offline Points: 10142 |
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I have a base '72 Torino wagon with no options. Rubber mat, radio delete, no power anything, no A/C. 250/3 speed manual. I also have a '72 Gran Torino Squire wagon with all power options (seat/locks/windows/etc), a 429/C6 and every option. The base car feels and acts 1,000 pounds lighter than the Squire. Literally. Absolutely no comparison and the base car feels very light on it's feet, while the other wagon feels ponderous.
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Joe
1972 Mom's Squire Wagon 1972 Torino Wagon 1976 Torino 1968 Cougar XR7-First batch 1972 Torino 460 1989 BroncoII/Jeeps/Titanimous Popeye and Brutus (Rams) |
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Billy C
Senior Member Joined: 10-February-2010 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Status: Offline Points: 947 |
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ah, weight weight weight...
Here is a list of things I am doing/going to be doing to lighten up my big block gts weight reduction estimate based on what I have weighed and some guessing AC is a given must go thing... smog crap (15lbs?) aluminum intake (20lbs) aluminum heads (50lbs) aluminium water pump (10lbs?) aluminum rad (7lbs?) electric fan setup vs big steel one (5lbs) aluminum wheels vs steel (40lbs) back seat (15lbs?) starter update pgm + getting rid of the relay on the fender (5lbs?) headers (10lbs) junk it the trunk including spare and jack (10-25lbs) that's creeping towards 200lb loss Oh and the people your driving around.. ditching them will help 160-500lbs too. I'm sure I'm forgetting something Battery in the trunk helps weight distribution.. Here is where integrity of the car changes swiss cheesing all the front bumper parts (I figure if I wreck I am sh** out of luck anyways) stripped interior lighter front seats no radio no clock manual brakes manual steering |
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-Billy Conturo
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GTW
Senior Member Joined: 21-January-2012 Location: SC Status: Offline Points: 5784 |
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Cutting and tucking a '73 bumper (eliminating the splash pan, losing bumper sections) could reduce the weight a bit. You could do a '72 rear bumper conversion (72 brackets needed) to get rid of the '73 rear filler panel. I think it was Joe's idea to get rid of interior insulation as well, and I might follow that. I think you can buy fiberglass body panels too.
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Griffin
1973 Gran Torino station wagon 1972 Gran Torino 4 Door 1971 Maverick 2 Door |
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Torinogts73c
Senior Member Joined: 14-February-2004 Location: Tucson Arizona Status: Offline Points: 1034 |
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MY 73 Sportsroof weighed 4120 with 351C 4v C-6 and factory a/c if that is any help to you!
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Gary 73 Gran Torino Sport 351CJ,17 Mustang Ecoboost,15 Jeep Grand Cherokee LTD, Ford Ranger parts hauler
"Never complain Never explain" Henry Ford |
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formaltop
New Member Joined: 13-March-2012 Location: Oregon Status: Offline Points: 29 |
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My 72 gts formal top is aprox 3800# across the scale.
351w with aluminum manifold and headers, c6 and 9 " rear, no ac and no power options, but did have the jack and spare. The 73's fronts weigh a bit more than the 72's I believe but it has to be close. |
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Rockatansky
Senior Member Joined: 30-July-2010 Location: On The Road Status: Offline Points: 6059 |
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I guess all you have to do is find the same source for 1973, or weigh it
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72 GT Ute
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gpd294
Senior Member Joined: 18-September-2008 Location: Dallas, Texas Status: Offline Points: 2178 |
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Carlos....1975 Gran Torino Squire Station Wagon restored to look like a 1973 Torino Station
Wagon my Dad bought new from McAnary Ford on June 6, 1973 in Gary,Indiana |
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unlovedford
Senior Member Joined: 17-December-2010 Location: Tennessee Status: Offline Points: 10142 |
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Yes, I had a whole slew of weight-reducing measures I was going to take with one of my cars. Still may with one of my others.
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Joe
1972 Mom's Squire Wagon 1972 Torino Wagon 1976 Torino 1968 Cougar XR7-First batch 1972 Torino 460 1989 BroncoII/Jeeps/Titanimous Popeye and Brutus (Rams) |
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Rockatansky
Senior Member Joined: 30-July-2010 Location: On The Road Status: Offline Points: 6059 |
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curb weights listed here for 302 engine
http://grantorinosport.org/73torino05.htm Edited by Rockatansky - 14-March-2014 at 8:07AM |
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72 GT Ute
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colonelsandersman
Member Joined: 26-August-2011 Location: Clear Lake MN Status: Offline Points: 64 |
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I like these ideas, and boy I can't believe the 73 formal weighs only 3760, cant imagine the 351w weighs much more than a 302. I've always dreamed of dropping my car to 3500lbs, and it looks a little more feasible, bout +200lbs to go I guess. What's this about lightweight seats? Sticking to OEM Ford, any good buckets that will drop in to replace my heavy bench, or will only 1972-76 midsize buckets work? Im thinking back to my dads 67 Fairlane and how light and basic and generally awesome those buckets were.
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Jake
1973 Gran Torino |
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antlerfiend
Senior Member Joined: 14-June-2010 Location: Louisville,KY Status: Offline Points: 3023 |
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Joe, send that ponderous wagon to me. Me and my 72 sportroof weighed 4038 pds in Memphis. Of course I had tools in the trunk and Gt caps on the black floorboard.
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Alex
72 GTS (Morgan's Baby) 68 CJ Drag Car Clone 65 Mustang (first car) 77 LTD II (Drag Car) 78 Mustang II V6 4 speed |
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Billy C
Senior Member Joined: 10-February-2010 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Status: Offline Points: 947 |
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When I say lighter front seats, I mean some NEW non-oem seats. Like fixed back Recaros
The next step would be composite body panels. A carbon fiber hood would probably drop 50lbs truck lid 20lbs.. front fenders 30lbs ea Then things like aluminum or composite rad support valve covers intake tubing aluminum brake calipers two piece rotors smaller gas tank tubular transmission cross member engine mods like lighter rotating assembly if you have a manual, then a lighter flywheel carbon fiber or aluminum drive shaft at that point it would probably be under 3000 without a driver oh and duh.. an aluminum 3rd member
Edited by Billy C - 14-March-2014 at 4:50PM |
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-Billy Conturo
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