Wednesday, April 27, 2011

NISMO Stuff Racer--Light as a Feather it is...

Went and gave the truck her official weigh-in today.

I had heard a number of concerns as to the total weight of the vehicle likely breaking the 4,000 lb. barrier and thus requiring (in SCORE) 2 inch tubing vs. the 1.75 I had chosen.  Boy would that have been a kick in the pants!

Fortunately my initial weigh-in of the vehicle, oh so many months ago, gave me a good baseline to work with and I felt comfortable (as did the cage builder) that the truck would not cross the 4,000 lb. mark.  Today, however was the true test.  Honestly, approaching the scale at my local transfer station my stomach was a bit jumpy and my heart beating faster.  Had I made the wrong decision?  Had I underestimated the weight of all the modifications?  Would I be stuck with a truck that would never meet SCORE and other desert racing sanctioning body's rules?

Stepping out of the truck and running up the stairs to the office of the transfer station manager, I almost didn't want to know...

He hands me the sheet and I almost jump through the ceiling with delight. 3,880 pounds--wet...

Figure I have about 20+ pounds of fuel on board and thus have about 140 pounds to spare.  Not bad...not bad at all...

The truck was fully kitted out at the time of the weigh-in--full spare, spill kit, medical kit, 1/2 a tank of fuel, all radio and electronics installed.  Pretty much the truck is ready to race from the cab backward.  There does remain the front suspension and engine cage to install but given the relatively minimal additional weight taken on by the suspension (taking off stock parts and adding aftermarket parts will be more than a wash but not THAT much more) and the engine cage itself will use smaller tubing that the cage itself and will be kept very simple.

In the end?  I will likely be up around 3,950 lbs. when all is said and done.  Close...but good enough for government work as they say!!

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