Thanks for the confirmation, Davew. I did figure out that camber effects the readings, because the tire loads one side of the pad more than the other. I might devise a pivoting pad for the next round of weighing, to ensure that the lever is loaded right at the mid point. I'll also experiment with 10 pound plates, just as another way to get a sense of the accuracy.
Honestly, I think the biggest issue with this weighing method is my cheap scale. An electronic one would probably be more accurate, but also more difficult to employ.
Oh yeah, the weight came to 2079, which is coincidentally the same year when my grandchildren will forget that it would have been my 100th birthday.
On to the next things for now:
I've started some aluminum work, finally. My first project was a battery box out of angle, and then a mounting bracket for the parking brake couple thingy. I'm no good at it yet, but already getting better. I cut the 1/8" angle with a miter saw, which worked incredibly well with regular wood blade--and quite terribly with a cheap non-ferrous blade. Still sorting out the settings and variables for welding the stuff, but I'll get there before too long.
I also picked up a 5' x 10' of .090 5052 for $160 (way cheaper than I thought it might be), to supplement the sheet of .040 that I already have. The thicker stuff will work for my fuel tank and expansion tank, in addition to floors and a couple of the firewalls. I'd like to use the thinner stuff, at least up front, for firewalls and side panels, because it's half the weight, but I'll just have to see how that goes.
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I also decided to lighten the exhaust by going from 2.5" duals to a 3" single that exits passenger side. Yep, a single side pipe. Lighter, offsets driver weight a bit, and should be a good match for the 350hp I'm rocking with this stock-heads/cam LS1 (well, maybe it's more with my single plane and carb, but not much more). It's 19 pounds lighter than the mid-pipe thing that was on there when I weighed, but I haven't put on the muffler yet. I already ordered the muffler--6" x 18" dynomax, but I probably won't see it 'til Wednesday. It'll be a bolt-on muffler bit at first, but I could weld it up into one assembly. I have a suspicion it'll just get welded together so I can get rid of the ugly flange.
That flange, along with the tubing, is leftover 409 stainless from the Suburban I salvaged a couple years ago. Good-quality stuff with nice bends. Too bad I couldn't use the muffler as well, but it's the size of a small bathtub. I'll probably just cut it apart to salvage the 409 sheet for heat shields, exhaust stuff, or whatever else.
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Looking forward to finishing the exhaust in the next week, along with getting some floor panels done and maybe the expansion tank. I did buy a jigsaw for cutting the aluminum sheet. We'll see how it works.
-Graveyard