Bee Jay's Heavy A$$ Door Weight Loss Mod

[Bee Jay]

I didn't want to leave out my Vette Mod buddies. How's it going Twin Turbo and My Bad 79?
Bee Jay
I've been travelling, but I'm home for a couple of weeks. I decided to finally tear into the heavy a$$ door and see about losing some weight there. After removing the interior trim, you see that there is a almost a solid metal wall. Using my hole saw, dremell, and sawsall, I removed more than two lbs of uneeded metal panel. This gave me acess to the gaurd rail style door beam. Using my angle grinder, I cut the beam in two places and got about 80% of it out. What a pain in the ass. You have to be very paitient, especially when removing the beam in one piece. I shattered my passenger window. I should not have used that crow bar:nono:. Any ways, the beam weighed over 8 lbs, so I removed 10 lbs from the door. Actually more than that if you count the window. So, where is the best place to get a '79 Corvette passenger side window. Once I replace the window, I'll weigh the door. Then I'll weigh the drivers door for an accurate comparison, and then lighten it. Don't worry, it should be easier the second time and I won't break the window. It will be the hardest 20lbs I ever lost, but I'm moving toward my 3000lb goal.
Bee Jay

 

[denpo]

Good call Bee Jay, those door windows are overstated anyway :lol:

 

[Bee Jay]

Good call Bee Jay, those door windows are overstated anyway :lol:

Any advice on where best to order a replacement window?
Bee Jay

 

[big2bird]

Good call Bee Jay, those door windows are overstated anyway :lol:

Any advice on where best to order a replacement window?
Bee Jay

All the usual vendors have them.

Sorry I missed you at SEMA. Heard you were there.:crap:

 

[Bee Jay]

Good call Bee Jay, those door windows are overstated anyway :lol:

Any advice on where best to order a replacement window?
Bee Jay

All the usual vendors have them.

Sorry I missed you at SEMA. Heard you were there.:crap:

Hey Big Bird! What's up? Yea, I was there. Everything else that dancing girl told you was a lie! Really.
Bee Jay

 

[Ozzy]

A new window is probably the cheapest when bought at your local auto glass shop.

 

[mrvette]

A new window is probably the cheapest when bought at your local auto glass shop.

You gotta do some calling around, I found my motor home front and rear glass to be about 25% of the prices quoted at other joints....at this one place not so very far away....two pieces ~15"x36" only 20 bux each, laminated flat safety glass....one piece up front was 72x ~15 and tinted safety plate...40 bux....

the rest of the shops were all MUCH HIGHER as above....

best of luck man....

:drink:

 

[MYBAD79]

Hey BeeJay !!!

Isn't glass covered by your insurance ??

Try www.car-parts.com - it's a junkyard inventory, you can search all junkyards that are participating (quiet a few) and sort by price or zip code

 

[Bee Jay]

Hey BeeJay !!!

Isn't glass covered by your insurance ??

Try www.car-parts.com - it's a junkyard inventory, you can search all junkyards that are participating (quiet a few) and sort by price or zip code

Not if you are using a prybar to pry the guard beam out of the car when the window broke.
Thanks, I'll give them a try.
Bee Jay

 

[denpo]

Hey BeeJay !!!

Isn't glass covered by your insurance ??

Try www.car-parts.com - it's a junkyard inventory, you can search all junkyards that are participating (quiet a few) and sort by price or zip code

Not if you are using a prybar to pry the guard beam out of the car when the window broke.
Thanks, I'll give them a try.
Bee Jay

There's a guy parting out a '80 today on CF. If I remember well he still have the door intact. Maybe he'll willing to part them out.

 

[phantomjock]

BeeJay
you might check with Scott at Vettes Unlimited.
He does a lot of parting out and prices have been good when I've dealt with him. Might be worth a run down I-10. Sorry I'm still "out of town for 4 more months!"
He also does a lot of the panhandle craigslist too. His web:
http://www.vettesunlimited.biz/

Cheers - Jim

 

[MYBAD79]

Not if you are using a prybar to pry the guard beam out of the car when the window broke.

:lol:


Thanks, I'll give them a try.

just had a quick look: there are several for $35 - $75 ... check on shipping... some are in Rhode Island, some are in Oregon....

select "glass front"

........................................................

 

[Bee Jay]

I removed the drivers side door today to weigh it. Good Gosh!!!! That sucker is heavy. 80lbs. I almost bust a gut after I unbolted it. 80lbs? I could lose 160lbs by just removing the doors. After I get the door glass installed on the passenger side, I'll weigh it for comparison.
Bee Jay

 

[68L71]

No way in hell would I remove a door just to weigh it....

 

[Bee Jay]

No way in hell would I remove a door just to weigh it....

I'm glad I did. I never did that before. There is a lot of adjustability in hanging the door. I got better door gaps and the door closes with a lot less effort. Now to hack it up like the passenger door, except the broken glass part.
Bubba

 

[68L71]

No way in hell would I remove a door just to weigh it....

I'm glad I did. I never did that before. There is a lot of adjustability in hanging the door. I got better door gaps and the door closes with a lot less effort. Now to hack it up like the passenger door, except the broken glass part.
Bubba

Well if the door didn't fit well before then it's not as big a deal. I have a set of coupe glass that is not perfect but not bad that I would sell cheap just to get rid of it.

 

[Bee Jay]

No way in hell would I remove a door just to weigh it....

I'm glad I did. I never did that before. There is a lot of adjustability in hanging the door. I got better door gaps and the door closes with a lot less effort. Now to hack it up like the passenger door, except the broken glass part.
Bubba

Well if the door didn't fit well before then it's not as big a deal. I have a set of coupe glass that is not perfect but not bad that I would sell cheap just to get rid of it.

Where are you? I'm in Cali.

 

[clutchdust]

Interesting. Is this a street driven car? Man, of all the places to lose weight on a street car, I don't think the door is it, especially that bar. You get hit there and you are a dead man. You get hit on the door anyway and your odds are not good.

 

[Bee Jay]

Interesting. Is this a street driven car? Man, of all the places to lose weight on a street car, I don't think the door is it, especially that bar. You get hit there and you are a dead man. You get hit on the door anyway and your odds are not good.

Yep, my car will only be as safe as all pre '73 Vettes with no crash bar in the door, but still safer than my Harley. Same thing with my front and rear bumpers. I tossed them too. My car is a death trap, lighter and faster though.
Bee Jay

 

[Red]

Yep, my car will only be as safe as all pre '73 Vettes with no crash bar in the door, but still safer than my Harley. Same thing with my front and rear bumpers. I tossed them too. My car is a death trap, lighter and faster though.
Bee Jay

Bee Jay- you made me chuckle on the above comment. You see, I am finishing up the front end mod on my 79 that you completed and shared on your car. Safety was an initial concern, but decided you can't have it both ways. Better launches at the drag strip won on that issue and still way safer than my old Harley choppers on the street.:drink: