The cast iron trans really kills the weight of the original cars. Even with the 460 yours still comes out lighter than my TBird.

One advantage to the T-Bird on weight distribution is the engine is set back nearly behind the front wheels.   If you look at the upper control arms of a 55-57 T-Bird you will see they are ahead of the motor, so the engines weight is not all on the front wheels.  The rear wheels are just right behind the seat.  The setback engine and short wheel base is probably an advantage for the T-Bird.   I would guess that the 460/c6 with headers and aluminum intake is not that much more than a Y-Block with a factory supercharger set-up and either a t-85 w/cast bell housing or even heavier a Fordomatic. 

My T-Bird has a Cavalier rack and pinion on the front.    It has some bump-steer issues, that I need to work out. I haven't spent much time on it since I'm going back to the factory manual steering when I put the Y-Block back in.

I originally bought my T-Bird to do an F-clone and race it a the Y-Block Shoot-Outs.   I figured it would make a nice combo with two black VR57 powered street/strip cars.T

Pat Fleischman

Paul,
 I think the difference in weight between the y-block and the 460
is approximately 100 to 110 lbs. depending on acessories.
Not that much. My car has a Kugel IFS front suspension system,
 and handles great.
Ernie Phillips

I suspect that a 429 or  460 engine in a T.Bird would be great for power, but not so for weight distribution, as I believe they weigh in at about 700+ lbs.! 


Paul

Pat,
It is interesting that you have a '57 T-Bird,460, C6.
I have the same exact set-up in a black '57, 460, C6, AC, rack & pinion,
posi-trac, and 4 wheel disc brakes. Great driver, I bought the car this way.
I prefer y-blocks, but the car is too pretty and fast to change.
Ernie Phillips

My '57 T-Bird has a 460/C6 with full length headers and it weighed 3450 on the same scale that I weighed the sedan.   It has similar equipment to the Sedan, with stereo, sound deadening, but with no AC in the bird.   Both my cars have the 13" Baer Brakes,which adds a few pounds as well.   All my cars have spare tires, jacks and some sort of tool kits as well.   I plan to put a change the T-bird back to y-block power, tremc TKO, and a VR57 Blower.   I'll be interested to see how that affects the weight over the 460.   I bet it weighs in about the same with Y including due to the supercharger set-up.

Pat Fleischman

I just scaled my 56 Merc. I was surprised that it weighs 3640 with a full tank of gas. Add 200 for the driver

My truck is 3675 with me in it, so that seems about right with the extra glass, seat, and sheet metal, etc in a car.



Lawrenceville, GA

My 57 bird weighed in at 3520 all original with auto trans, hardtop, no AC, and about a 1/4 of a tank of fuel.

The Supercharger set-up and all it's components adds up as well.   I'm sure that with head unit, brackets, pulleys hoses it adds more than 100lbs to it. The front end actually goes up 1/2 and inch when the supercharger head unit is off.

 Of course the blower adds way more in Horse Power than it's weight penalty.




Pat Fleischman