How to Make a Drag Racing Car Lighter

It's no secret that excessive weight can slow down a drag racing car significantly, despite the amount of horsepower it has. By inspecting your drag racing car, you can quickly determine how to make it lighter, both by removing unnecessary equipment and by replacing some parts with lightweight alternatives.

Things You'll Need

  • Drag racing car
  • Aluminum or carbon fiber hood and body panels
  • Portable vacuum cleaner
  • Lightweight replacement parts such as windshields, pedals and mirrors
  • Aluminum engine block
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Instructions

  1. Make a Drag Racing Car Lighter

    • 1

      Remove all unnecessary personal belongings from your car. It's surprising how many people participate in drag races with a trunk full of personal effects, heavy tools and even a spare tire.

    • 2

      Clean and vacuum your drag racing car thoroughly before a race. While this may result in a negligible reduction of weight, it will help you to avoid having dirt or foreign objects fly into your face during a race.

    • 3

      Take out as much unnecessary equipment from your drag racing car as is practical. This includes such items as the car audio system, air-conditioning system, and even the dashboard and door panels. While many racers may be reluctant to perform these modifications because of the inconvenience, the reduction of the car's weight will be significant.

    • 4

      Replace the stock hood with one that is made of aluminum or carbon fiber. This will make your drag racing car much lighter. You can also swap out body panels, such as fenders, with aluminum or carbon fiber replacements.

    • 5

      Inspect your car carefully to find out what other parts might be replaced to make it lighter. There are lightweight racing versions of many familiar car parts, such as foot pedals, windshields, rear-view mirrors and more.

    • 6

      Make your drag racing car dramatically lighter by replacing the existing engine block with a matching one made of aluminum. The cost of swapping out the engine will be very high, but this may provide the single biggest reduction in weight possible.

    • 7

      Lose weight. It's amazing how many drag race drivers spend excessive amounts of time and money to reduce the weight of their cars, but are significantly overweight themselves! An extra 25 pounds around the midsection can translate into a couple of tenths of a second on the quarter-mile track.