1986 base to 1986 GXL
 

What's the weight difference between the 2 cars?

I'm trying to debate if I really want to like part out the GXL, or put the engine from the base into it...

Not sure though =\

GXL's have LSD, GXL's have power window and stuff. 5 lug thats all I know

The GXL will be worth more running than the base.

I know that, but what I'm trying to figure out is this :

The GXL does seem to have the better shell to work with ( starting wise ) but the base has the running engine right now.

The base is just the base model, 4 lugs, needs paint across the entire car and it has 170,000 miles on it's dash.

So I don't know if it's worth swapping the working engine from the base into the GXL or not.. Keep in mind everything in the GXL works for the most part ( except radio , but it's fubared in the wiring ) and it needs some new interior pieces but it's a nice looking car I'd say...

So you would say pull the dead engine, and replace it with the running engine and just sell the base shell off?

Only 2 things wrong with the GXL other than it's engine being dead is :

http://home.mchsi.com/~be.safley/i/gxl/P0001961.jpg

and

http://home.mchsi.com/~be.safley/i/gxl/P0001960.jpg

As far as weight difference between the base and gxl, I don't think there is much of one.

If I were you I'd keep the GXL and change the engine over. You can swap the door from the base and have the ding in the back fixed fairly easily

if the weight is an issue for performance reasons, then the GXL is the way to go. The LSD, better brakes, etc are too much of an improvement to sacrifice in the interest of weight. Value is better with the GXL also--you will get about the same to sell either one if it isn't running, but the base sounds like it is in worse condition--paint and all.....go with the GXL. Especially if you intend to do any performance mods in the future--everyone on here who has a base or SE, and who mods them, talks about swapping in those parts....

Just remove the AC and PS and air pump from the GXL and I guess I'm good to roll eh?

The GXL carries about 120 lbs more weight that held the car under the 3,000lb class-limit. That kept the car in the same emissions class as the base model. Interestingly, the turbo model and covertible used an aluminum hood to keep the weight down to the 3,000 lb mark. As a note of interest, when the FC was in development, each designer and engineer was asked to peel off 1 gram of weight from their respective designs in order to keep the car in the 2,650-3,000 lb emissions class in order to be shipped to the US without being hit with gas-guzzler excise taxes.

ooo good to know.
 

should i try and get a hood off of a turbo II? I wonder if I can find one.

The difference is only 20 lbs between an aluminum hood and a steel hood.

And you resurrected a thread that has been dead for 4 years to ask that?

If I were you, I would use the body of the Base model, but I would swap the suspension from the GXl and the LSD rear end into the Base model. Put an aluminum hood on it too. The Base model should be considerably lighter than a stock GXL. The only thing is your going to add more unsprung weight.