80's factory lightweights?

old5.0 · #1 03-23-2015, 01:01 AM

Let's say it's 1987, and you head down to the local dealer to order a new Mustang/Camaro/Firebird/Turbo Regal/whatever. Your plan is to go racing, and with that in mind you attempt to order it with the sound deadener, insulation and seam sealer deleted. Is there a legal reason that the factory would have refused this order?

I've been trying to get a definitive answer on this for a couple of years, but nothing 100% concrete. One guy told me he thought there might be some kind of liability under some aspect of the consumer protection laws, but couldn't point out anything specific.

Thoughts? Comments? Blind speculation?

**markjohnson** · #2 03-23-2015, 01:17 AM

In the early '80's, Popular Hot Rodding built an NHRA-legal Super Stock Olds Cutlass from a brand new special order car and if I remember correctly, it may have had some lightweight deletions like that. I wanna say that it may have been called "Project O" or something like that.

old5.0 · #3 03-23-2015, 03:04 AM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: markjohnson</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In the early '80's, Popular Hot Rodding built an NHRA-legal Super Stock Olds Cutlass from a brand new special order car and if I remember correctly, it may have had some lightweight deletions like that. I wanna say that it may have been called "Project O" or something like that. </div></div>

I've heard stories about some sort of special lightweight G-body Cutlass back then, but I've never been able to nail down any details. I wonder if they would have come on an MSO or a bill of sale only...

**Late BrakeU2** · #4 03-23-2015, 04:36 AM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: old5.0</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Let's say it's 1987, and you head down to the local dealer to order a new Mustang/Camaro/Firebird/Turbo Regal/whatever. Your plan is to go racing, and with that in mind you attempt to order it with the sound deadener, insulation and seam sealer deleted. Is there a legal reason that the factory would have refused this order?

I've been trying to get a definitive answer on this for a couple of years, but nothing 100% concrete. One guy told me he thought there might be some kind of liability under some aspect of the consumer protection laws, but couldn't point out anything specific.

Thoughts? Comments? Blind speculation? </div></div>

Relative to road racing only,specific to factory built cars, the RPO ILE was introduced for fbods in 1988. It was a "delete" option with special components for track purpose, they were lightweights only by virtue of being stripper models-no special parts to reduce OA weight(like the 14-15 Z28)

flyingn · #5 03-23-2015, 10:10 AM

If the factory did not offer it as an option it could not be done. It was a different time in the 80's then it was in the 60's as far as liability goes. Since none of the manufactures offered a sound deadener delete and sealer delete, it was not available. Ford had the Cobra R's which had no radio, ac and no back seat. That would be the closest thing to a 'lightweight' factory car

**Dave Rifkin** · #6 03-23-2015, 11:41 AM

I thought Olds had built, or was considering building 50 special Cutlass cars to drag racing with the help of Ed Quay race cars. I don't know if that ever happened but, I am fairly certain that I read about it back then.

**Keith Seymore** · #7 03-23-2015, 11:56 AM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: flyingn</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If the factory did not offer it as an option it could not be done. It was a different time in the 80's then it was in the 60's as far as liability goes. Since none of the manufactures offered a sound deadener delete and sealer delete, it was not available. Ford had the Cobra R's which had no radio, ac and no back seat. That would be the closest thing to a 'lightweight' factory car </div></div>

This is correct.

The factory would not have been able to simply delete the materials spontaneously; it would have to be a pre-defined, thought out approved package with a specific RPO assigned (like the 1LE Camaros mentioned above).

K

**YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY** · #8 03-23-2015, 12:36 PM

I think the 1LE's had an aluminum driveshaft to cut weight (?)

**olredalert** · #9 03-23-2015, 12:48 PM

----Bodies in white have always been an option for those who are connected or know how. They are just that, though, and nothing more. Not even a C-of-O. At the most, a bill of sale.....Bill S

old5.0 · #10 03-23-2015, 01:22 PM

Thanks for the responses everyone. Just to clarify, an 87 Mustang coupe with the above deletions does exist. I've seen the car and the paperwork; both are legit. It was ordered with the 5.0 5-speed drivetrain, radio delete and no other options. The original owner attempted to order it with manual steering and brakes, as well, but that was declined.

The OO did indicate that the process of ordering the car was... interesting. Numerous hoops were jumped through. I want to determine whether those hoops were due to some sort of illegality or because Ford just didn't want to be bothered with building the car.