weight of paint on race cars???

[jb15]

I have been trying to find out what the weight of paint on a race car would be.(primer,base coat,2 coats of clear), as a buddy of mine has 4 to 5 jobs on top of each other,curious as to what he's carrying for weight in paint,and if it would be worth stripping and laying down one job.
This is in a drag car---- thanks , Jim

[ZIGGY]

I'm sure someone here can give a more precise answer, but until they do, here's my shot. Go weigh a gallon of automotive paint and one of solvent similar to what was used on the car. See if the can and/or the paint store has any info on the weight/amount of solids in the paint. Then ask a good auto painter to estimate the amount of material used on your vehicle. For my old backyard dirt track calc's, I end up using a number of 3lbs per paint gallon as a final WAG of what is actually added to the car. I should have but never did weigh a car before and after painting. I would be very interested in a better weigh to figure it.

[Nick Campagna]

The Mercedes Auto Union cars were "silver". Actually, they were bare metal as they were overweight for their class, and the engineers sanded off the paint between the qualifiers and the race to lighten the cars down to the minimum weight. I think it was in the 50s but I could be wrong.

[RCJ]

A powder coater told me he would guess around 4lbs on a dirt track modified chassis.

[NORSK]

I have been told that white is the heaviest colour,probably because it is more dense.

[ZIGGY]

White or light gray make chassis defects easier to see. On the other hand a few folks, including a dirt superstar, paint the chassis and suspension pieces a dark, flat color to make visual analysis more difficult for competitors.

[apacheracing]

When you paint a car, about 1/3 of every thing that comes out of a spray gun ends up as overspray. The rest that ends up on the car will dry and evaporate. As it does this some of the soilds in the paint do not stay on the car, they evaporate away. Try this, go sand all the paint off your wife or girl friends car and weigh the dust that is left. In the name of racing science, Iam sure she will understand.

[keeks]

Not that sprint drivers are [Blank Post] about weight.....but we don't paint or powdercoat anything on the car.

Btw the wrap for a sprint car weighs less than 1lb.

k

[JohnnyB]

Not that sprint drivers are [Blank Post] about weight.....but we don't paint or powdercoat anything on the car.

Btw the wrap for a sprint car weighs less than 1lb.

k

So I guess leaving the paint on and taking a laxative or two prior to getting into the car would make a more significant difference??

[RCJ]

We've got our car at the sand blasters right now .It wieghed 1381 with only enough suspension to roll it around.

[RCJ]

Just got the car back front the blasters.It 's a 76 camaro street stock all it is now is the roof ,floorpan ,fire wall and frame and cage.1340lbs for a savings of 41lbs. at a cost of $275.I've spent $200 to save 5lbs so this seems like a bargain to me

[jb15]

Wow.. was this just primer and paint,fill?? If so buddys car is going to lose some weight with his 5 paint jobs on top of each other cool,thanks..
Jim

[RCJ]

Thats with both sides of the floor pan blasted.That was the main reason we decided to blast it to get all the sound deadener and seam sealer out of it.I was suprised at that much also.The guy did a complete job and hit it pretty hard.We had some aluminum acess panels that are beat up alittle I have some POR 15 left over from anther project.I'm going to brush it on all the under body.

[Wannabe]

My average paint jobs are between 20 and 25 pounds. And that is for a pro stock bodied car. I have done as much as real low 40's.
A few fuel funny car guys were trying to make it as light as they could a little while ago, so just threw one layer over the carbon. Pin-holes and the ugliest finish you can imagine. They weighed in at 6 lbs just like that.
Paint weighs way more than most people want to admit.

[Dick Gazan]

I have been trying to find out what the weight of paint on a race car would be.(primer,base coat,2 coats of clear), as a buddy of mine has 4 to 5 jobs on top of each other,curious as to what he's carrying for weight in paint,and if it would be worth stripping and laying down one job.
This is in a drag car---- thanks , Jim

After building a bunch of 66 to 72 Chevelle's. The stock paint removed is aprox 50lbs. Most cars I got had at least 2 coats of cheap paint and lost approx 65 to 100lbs. A good body shop has to metal pick the body to eliminate filler one mil of color and one coat of clear added 20lbs. An average chevelle weighs, stock with air cond, 4150lbs with a small block. Most of the cars ended up between 3600 and 3650lbs with a cage and a big block. There is a lot of weight in the car that can be removed safely. Eg, changing from disc brakes to drum looses 13lbs per wheel...........Dick Gazan