Any "Motorheads" here?
 

Just wondering if anyone here has a gas guzzing muscle car they like to take out to waste the gas they save with thieir high MPG vehicle? lol I'm a total motorhead, and I can see the MPG game as another facet of being an automotive enthusiast. It's fun to tinker and experiment to try and gain MPG, just like it is to build horse power. I love engines and their inner workings, and love modern technology. I currently have 2 "muscle" projects to go along with my Cavalier MPG project. My nearest and dearest project is my 73 AMX, which has been in and out of my life since 1996. My long term plan for it is to run open road/top speed events, and I'm shooting for 200+ MPH top speeds.
I have an engine in the works which is based on an 350 LT1 Chevrolet, bored and stroked to 396 CI. I have a set of cylinder heads which are 4 valves per cylinder, but still utilize pushrods and the stock cam location. Each pushrod actuates 2 valves, via a shaft rocker set up. Pretty cool stuff, but very unproven concept. That's why I've been at this engine since 1999. lol
My other project is a 1987 Buick T-Type, equipped with a 3.8 turbocharged/ intercooled V6. It is a former drag car which has been sitting, so it's resurrection has been kinda long and drawn out. I'm doing a lot of suspension work to it, as I want to make it able to hang with sports cars in the twisties, and blow them away on the straightaways. lol I'm also approaching this project from an efficiency standpoint, as the Buick 231 V6 is a well designed engine, and turbocharging is awesome, due to the fact you are making power with a waste product. I'm hoping to see around 450 HP and 25+ MPG. Well, enough about my stuff...what are you people working on? :)

not working on anything but we do have a 99 F 150 that i take out and is alot of fun compared to the honda. i dont pay for the gas also so thats also a perk. Today i didnt drive my car at all just the truck because i had to take my mower in and get som wood for my little brothers tree fort (more like a house).

Anyone who spins a wrench or swings a hammer has to have access to a truck! :) My wife has a 98 Ranger that we bought brand new, and that truck has been FLAWLESS! I'm hoping my MPG research will have a trickle down effect on the truck, and I think I'm gonna buy the wife a scan gauge for her birthday. Ain't I romantic? :D

thats up there with dimonds in my book lol

Well for the motorhead part of me, I too have a Turbo Buick well two for that matter, one I ordered new in 1986 a GN with all the options, T-Top car which has 272,000 miles on it now. I use to get about 20-21mpg with it at 80mph on trips. The other one I bought in 1996 with 11,500 miles on it, its an 87 GN, that now has 14,800 miles on it, does'nt go on any trips just short little drives once a month. I also have my very first car which I ordered new in 1973 a Plymouth Roadrunner w/440 auto, with all the options. I also have a 1967 Dodge Dart w/440 auto, which I built from the ground up, back in 1980-83. Then there's the 2001 Donzi 22 Classic 454 Mag mpi w/385hp that does 70mph on the water ofcourse, does that count? Then ofcourse the 1995 Bronco w/351 auto 4x4 to tow the boat, not too good on the mpg's here. Then last but not least the 1994 Honda Civic Cx that's finally gettin 40+ mpg goin 80+ mph on the highway and whatever around town. Well that's it for now, so does that get me motorhead status??????

Hiding in my garage:
1973 440 Plymouth Roadrunner (created/ordered)
1967 440 Dodge Dart GT (created/built)
1986 Buick Grand National (created/ordered)
1987 Buick Grand National (bought used but not to much)
1995 Ford Bronco (where's OJ) (aquired)
1994 Honda Civic Cx (bought used)
2001 Donzi 22 Classic 454 Mag Mpi 385hp (Its a boat) (bought used but not to much either)
That's it for now........

Steve

Steveo, I think you qualify for motorhead+packrat. Though it is neat that you have kept all of those cars. Especially the one you bought as your first car. I'll bet you have so many memories with each of them.

I've got a '34 Hudson five-window coupe in the works. Long term project. 302 Ford, built C4 and Ford 8" make up the drive train. Dropped tube axle with disc brakes on new stock-style parallel leaf springs. Silver powder coated steelies with big and little BFGs. Pretty much stock body. Need to finish the front fenders, running boards and interior.

WOW! I'd say ya qualify for motorhead status! In fact, you should be called "BIG DADDY!" :eek:

Hudsons are cool! I always wanted to do a Hornet up "ol' skool" NASCAR style. :thumbup:

unstable bob, here is a website you may enjoy. It's a way to be a motorhead and an FE fanatic at the same time.:D https://powrehaus.com/about/
Welcome to GasSavers and, I like the '73 AMX. My very first car was a '71 Hornet that was my grandfather's.

I'm a total motorhead. I have this Honda at home with a bunch of aero mods. When I'm feeling really good about its performance, sometimes I'll take it as high as 60. It's a beast. I think that it may have too much power for me to handle though. Maybe a nice 1.5L four banger will do the trick for me.

hmm well speaking of pickup trucks and turnign wrenches: behond what i ddi for 7 hours today:
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...138b0e42a5.jpg
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...42641f983b.jpg
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...8e641e6f82.jpg
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...34fb4efed7.jpg

lol well its my partial daily driver 95 chevy s-10 4 banger 5speed that ive done some performace mods to which all have sie affects of increasing MPG (everyone wants to have better get up and go AND better mpg) and some slight body mods to. the primer spots is trying to fix some rust holes.. (salty winters *sigh*) but that i am hauling there is the engine and 3 speed tranny out of my 1929 Ford Model AA truck. my latest long term project. flat head 4 cyl makes about 24-30 somehting hp, yet the truck has a one ton load capacity. i have plenty more pics but id clog the form with all of em...

and my short term/almost done project is my 1980 chevy chevette. 4 cyl 4 speed car that gets 37 mpg bone stock. ive done zero mpg mods to it...up first is going to be efan since this car just has a fan bolted to the pulley, no clutch or anything.

lol i swear im going to be stuck with 4cyl cars/trucks forever. i plan to once the chevettes engine dies (not anytime soon 59,900 origional miles on it even tho its 27 years old) drop the ever poular buick 2.8 L v6 in it i think it is. give the car a bit more pep and make itinto a partial sleeper. (could fit a 350 in there if i wanted to but too much sleeper!)

I still have my first car too, a 1976 Triumph TR6 convertible that I picked up very cheap from the original owner when I was in high school. Unfortunately after a couple years of driving I decided I really had to do a frame off restoration (as it wasn't exactly inspectable with 2 whole feet of completely missing frame), and finally just last year (or maybe 2 years ago) I got the body back on, I still haven't hooked up fuel or put the seats back in, it's so close and yet it continues to sit, it hasn't been together or run for at least 9-10 years. The fact it's at my parents and I just had my first child means it probably won't get much more work anytime soon either.

My engine project involves swapping a 5cyl 2.2L Turbo engine from my '86 Audi 5000 Turbo Quattro into my ~2500 lb '84 Audi 4000 Quattro. I haven't even pulled the motor yet, both cars are sitting at my parents and the word 'someday' constantly goes by. But 'someday' it will be refreshed with a larger turbo and full EFI management (Megasquirt). So that's my boost fix, even though it sits.

Then of course my daily driver work truck, I don't do much to this but may do aeromods just to see how much I can get out of a 2 ton truck.

And my MR2 I picked up because I couldn't pass it up ($300 delivered), but that was 9 months ago and I still didn't get to replacing the clutch (which was why it was cheap).

And my '88 Kawasaki Ninja 600R, a very awesome twin cam engine that makes 85HP in 600cc, that runs awesome but I lost the muffler (long story) and would rather sell it to fix and drive the MR2 (just as fun except I get to drive in shorts and sandals), the goal is to get the MR2 up to the bikes 45MPG.

And lastly a '79 Suzuki GS550 I just picked up because it was cheap but I'll probably part (even though it looks awesome).

So I guess I qualify as more of a packrat than a motorhead as I only get to turn a wrench once a month or so, but I'm a dreamer with a pickup truck (a requirement for a packrat).


Unstable Bob: that 4 valve V8 head sounds very cool, I love the OHV design for it's compactness but love DOHC for it's flow and power (and efficiency), it'd be great if you could combine all this. I've also really gotten to like the VTEC idea, I wish I could get a cam cut with two profiles sandwiched multiple times (and then to activate you just get a pressure or electromagnetic actuator to push the camshaft forward a bit to switch the profiles). Also my father still owns about 4 LT1 Caprices, I've had 2 older 9C1s in my life time but finally sold them in the last year or so (to try to minimize my projects)....

You should get a 1.3L festiva or 3cyl Subaru Justy :-). Actual coolest 'economy' car I just found out about was the mid 80s Mitsubish Mirage, I forget exactly what size the engine was 1.3-1.6L or something) but it had an absurdly small turbo piped in. Not only does this really move the super light car but at half boost is should boost the efficiency some (since it's basically using waste energy). Now I just have to find one.

I like the fact that I can fairly easily combine both HP and FE in one car with mine. My ultimate goal is to have a 13 or 14 second car that does 30+mpg. Not too difficult to manage, because so long as I don't up the displacement, and only mod the exhaust and boost systems, I'll not change FE capacity much at all.

I wonder, I mean with EOC and P&G, the more power (even if less efficient) just means you can get to a cruising speed faster to between glides. As long as you have good aero and rolling resistance it shouldn't hurt too much.

Have a '67 Mustang in the garage. It's not technically mine, but I put a lot of sweat equity into her, and she's won us 5 trophies at car shows. My Dad and I have restored three other Mustangs, one of which was my daily driver in High School ('68 hardtop), and another of which was my Dad's DD ('73 Mach 1 351CJ 4v with 5-speed).

My next car will be '62 or older - I like my Focus, but it reminds me of all the reasons I wanted to get away from late-model cars in the first place.

You guyz have a lot of neat things going on! :thumbup:

haha i got way to many neat thigns going on right now lol.

Here I am - out of the closet.......- don't talk about them much except my avatar as they are my passion but if people knew then I won't have my tree hugger internet reputation, looks like I just ruined it all:o

1930 Chevrolet mid 70's Vette 350 w/ a 142 blower - 85 Vette 700R4 - 4:56 rear - 4 wheel disc brakes and the list goes on

https://home.earthlink.net/~wazabi/30Chevy.jpg
https://home.earthlink.net/~wazabi/30Chevyengine.jpg


1963 Corvette In the family since 1983 - had one repaint in 1976 which it was switched from white to red, the car is essentially beat now - doesn't even run - rotting away in the garage though I have plans to get it on the road in the next few months.

https://www.bsc.net/rigger/63-2.jpg

Oooo, a 63 Vette... Lovely.

Got any pics of the Corolla? Just kidding... :-)

haha cool wasabi. got any interior shots of the 30 chevy?

Since we're showing picts of our "kids, here's one of my AMX:;)

https://www.njfboa.org/forums/attachm...2&d=1177198399

pic didnt work...

Wazabi, I love both of those cars.

[QUOTE=itjstagame;65962]I still have my first car too, a 1976 Triumph TR6


That is my dads dream car he is thinking of buying one somtime pretty soon that is restored.

Crap, comes in for me...howz about a link to a pict of my AMX instead?

https://www.njfboa.org/forums/attachm...2&d=1177198399

Nah, we aren't members, so we can't see it...

I give up. Howz about if I draw a pict of it...:D

Letz see if this link works:

https://community.webshots.com/photo/...9813994eCbKyH#

Im not a huge motor head but....

I have done 2 engine swaps in 2 CRX's
and my 04 Ion Redline I have a smaller supercharger pulley, bigger fuel injectors, 3" exhaust and a new tune. I installed everything myself so I guess im somewhat of a greas monkey.

Just don't have anything as nice of you guys.

I came from being a motorhead into the FE game. I used to have a 1992 Civic VX with a turbocharged 1.8L engine - 240 whp / 236 wtq. It was fun but unreliable.

My first car was a 1973 Porsche 914, and I've helped my uncle work on numerous 914's he's owned, some of them -6's.

Now my main project is motohead in a different way - I'm building an airplane. I'm not stuffing the huge 540 ci 6-cylinder in there that some folks do - partly to keep operating costs down, partly because I don't need all that with this being my first plane.

My "muscle" car is a heavily modified '85 XR4Ti:

https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...efcab87605.jpg

https://homepage.mac.com/limefrog/con...-Images/13.jpg

:)

I want something powerful, maybe even with two engines, and tube framed. Imo, no point in hopping up a heavy car for performance, or a light one not designed for it. I have no clue what I'm going to do, but it'll probably take lots of time, but not too much money, and involve engine/s not available in the states so I can avoid smog troubles.

I've always been a "motorhead", having worked on airplanes/cars/boats and anything else I get my hands on, though have always been conscious of not wasting gas.

One bolt together I've been chewing on is a porsche 924 with a TDI, though it is out of reach of what I care to spend currently.

Currently working on a 67 Mustang with a newly built 351W. Full restoration, so she's not runnin:(

Lotsa nice cars in this thread. My fast car isn't that pretty. Here's a vid from last November. https://video.google.com/videoplay?do...57668280571397 Since then it's gone 10.82 and 133.3 mph in the 1/4 mile. In the vid I was pushing 29psi of boost and shifting at 7800rpm. On the 10.8 run I was pusing over 32psi of boost and shifting at 8800rpm. It's a blast!

The motor is still a 2 liter 4 cyl, same as the motor in my 43mpg Laser, except the Laser motor is all stock and old, while I have a fully built motor in my Talon. It's funny how I will learn something by pushing the limits of each car, then find a way to transfer that knowledge to the other car.