Yeah, the Ford full size cars seemed to all do quite well once they switched to fuel injection. Even my great aunt's 88 Lincoln Town Car used to get 26/27 on the highway. I just looked it up, and 20% over EPA highway would be 31.25 MPG, should be quite doable to get the car close to 40 with some agressive mods.

-Jay

:confused:

I agree w/ the Corvette picture posted... anything with the LS based engine is capable of AMAZING stuff. I'm a Camaro/Firebird enthusiast and they had the LS1 from 98-02 and there are guys in my club who average over 30mpg highway w/ their cars. Some even have upgraded valvetrain, lower rear axel gears (4.10's and even 4.56's), wider tires, bigger wheels, and pcm tuning, all geared towards performance. One car in particular has made 490hp and 475tq at the rear wheels and has achieved over 30mpg on a trip out west.

The LS-series engines are just untouchable as far as FE goes.

That's rediculous. I can't really believe that our milage has dropped so bad. Although I guess 55MPH limits helped and it was probably 100% gasoline (10% ethanol drops our energy content a bit and I think effeciency of the burn too).

I guess gasoline was cheap enough too that using more to cool the charge and power the catalytic wasn't too bad in their eyes, but that's still rediculous.

At the time I owned it E10 was not mandated here, but "oxygenated" fuel was required in the winter. The mileage didn't drop as much with E10 because it was a carb with no o2 sensor.- The truck didn't know it was burning leaner. It was even designed to run on leaded fuel. I usually ran midgrade with lead additive added to each tank. I never really drove it hard because then it got under 10 MPG. (Then again I was only paying $1.079 for midgrade - those were the good old days... ;) ) I realize that not all 74 Chevys got that mileage, I made small mods that helped like the electronic ignition, widened the plug gap, and switched to platinum plugs. I also drove it respectably, I think I could do even better if I still had that truck.

I initially bought it as a toy. A beater to drive once in a while and have fun. Back then the BWH was a beautiful car and was waxed weekly. The truck ran so well that it quickly became my daily driver, and the Buick became the toy. The truck got better mileage, and I had better visibility in the truck so I ended up driving it a lot. After driving it for a few years I started thinking that I loved the truck so much that I looked into getting the rust taken care of. It had the typical early 70's Chevy Cancer - rust holes in the fenders so large I could stick my arm through them, and it had rust holes in the floor of the bed. I remember when I bought it the guy jokingly said "Don't haul any sand in it" I figured that by the time I replaced the bed, doors, fenders, and put a quality paint job on it that I'd be spending at least $5,000 and I'd still be driving a 20+ y/o truck with over 300,000 miles. I was afraid that it would be just my luck to spend that kind of money on the truck, and have something serious happen with the engine not long afterwards. I figured I'd look at newer trucks.

When I bought Rusty he had 95,000 miles and was 10 years old, garage kept, and looked fantastic. The truck was even optioned just as I would have ordered it from the factory, right down to the paint colors. $5,000 and it was mine. I sold the 74 to my sister who had it as her DD for about 2 years, and her beater for another 3 or 4 years.

You know you'd want one!

I know I certainly wouldn't. No Hyundai made it on the short list of vehicles I want.

1. 2009 GMC Sierra Hybrid.

2. 2009 Ford Focus sedan w/ a 5 speed.

3. 60's or 70's vintage Cadillac convertible.

4. 1987 Buick Regal T-Type

3. Late 60's - early 70's vintage Olds Vista Crusier or Pontiac Grand Safari

Have you driven the Focus lately? That's the most boring car I have ever driven, even with a 5-speed and upgraded sound system.

Now, when they bring the Fiesta here in 2010, I'd get that.

Actually I have. My dad just bought a new 08 Focus sedan 5 speed a couple of months ago. I thought it was a nice looking, fun little car to drive, plus the Microsoft SYNC is really nice. The car controls his MP3 player and cell phone by voice commands. Also, I can buy one on the employee plan so I would be getting the best deal possible. The only thing I would do differently is dad's Focus is the middle trim level. I'd go to the higher trim level and leather seats to get more comfortable seats. The standard seats are a bit too firm for my liking.

-Jay

ethanol just has less btus....

I'd consider it, but I don't think they exist. Was that a flight of fancy, or do you know something about a new RWD model?

Help, I am restoring a 85 GMC C3500 1-ton Bob Tail Flatbed Dually, with a HD 350 V8 four bolt main, 400 Turbo Automatic Trans with overdrive, 4 bbl Rochester Quadajet no computer. It is currently only getting 10 mpg in city, 12 mpg on highway while empty with no trailer or load. Replaced distributor with a high performance HEI distributor, new fuel pump, new fuel lines, rebuilt radiator(s), and new tires. I am looking to get mileage up to 20+ Highway, will replacing Roch Quadajet carb with a more fuel efficent carb work or should i just buy a rebuilt Rochester Quadajet and change the rear end gears and a different Overdrive in transmission?

The Quadrajet, if it's not the most efficient, is one of the most efficient carburetors ever to hit the mass market.

I always support efforts to improve fuel economy in any vehicle and try not to be a naysayer but I don't think it is realistic to look for 20+ highway in a 1-ton dually 1985 model. I doubt you could manage it even with a modern small turbo diesel and a manual transmission, let alone a carbureted 350 gasser and an automatic. There are probably things you can do to improve it but I'd be surprised (and happy!) to see you hit 20.

Since you're asking about gears, how's highway RPM and power? If it's already downshifting to get up hills then it's probably as tall-geared as it can use.

If you get that to 20+ on the highway, it will be geared too tall to load that vehicle to capacity. I have owned several trucks of that style/vintage and only one of them gave me over 20 MPG highway. It was a 1974 Chevy C10 1/2 ton 2wd. It had a small block 350 TH350 3 speed automatic transmission with locking torque converter. I had replaced the points type distributor with an electronic distributor I got out of a junked 1975 van. I used to get about 25 highway in that truck, but it was light, and I drove it with a light foot. The best I ever got on the highway in my 86 Chevy C10 (which has a small block 305, T700R4 4 speed automatic with locking torque converter) is about 18 highway. My 1998 GMC K1500 extended cab has a 350, fuel injection, 4 speed automatic with lockup, and 4wd. The best I ever got out of it was 18 MPG, and that was on ethanol free fuel, going 70 MPH fully loaded on the highway. My 2000 GMC Savanna 3500 gets me about 16 highway, and that's a 1 ton with fuel injection, 4 speed automatic, etc.

To have any hope of getting a 1985 1 ton to hit those numbers, you will probably have to convert it to a 1/2 ton truck (you can't haul the heavy weight anymore). Take the E rated tires off, change the transmission, rear end, shocks, springs, and lower it to the 1/2 ton height.

Brand new 1 ton trucks don't hit those numbers unless you're looking at diesels. IMHO, with what you're gonna have to spend, (and then have a truck that won't haul the weight) it would be cheaper to just find a nice used 1 ton with a turbo diesel.

good cop/ bad cop...but with how many passengers?
 

My commuter car for work is an 86 Honda Civic si hatchback (1.5 w 5-speed manual trans, 200,000 miles on the odometer). I drive this car light and dont wind up the revs, also have plans to swap out my 5th gear to the 85-88 crx hf 5th gear (taller) to drop the overdrive rpms for better fuel economy.

Going for high efficiency in this car is to compensate for my 56 Belair 9 passenger wagon.

The wagon is a brick. It runs a 1970 vintage Corvette 5.7 litre v8 and 700 r4 overdrive trans into a 2.73 rear gear. (Headers and dual exhaust)
I am running Michelin Primacy x 245 series tires meticulously kept at 35 psi.
I guess that this 57 year old car gets quite poor fuel economy...dont know for sure since the speedometer is inoperative. The engine turns just under 2000 at 70 mph.
But check this out...The car is generally used with three or more occupants in it, often upwards of 6 people with my two 9 year olds and their friends.

It does merit mentioning that if this car did not have three rows of seating many of my weekend car trips would require two vehicles and two drivers.

Any tips for saving fuel on the wagon are always welcome (comedy appreciated)..
Thanks and have a great day!

Welcome! I'd say if you have a 350 V8 that's turning 2,000 RPM @ 70 you're probably doing 18-20 MPG. Considering what the car is, I'd say that's pretty good.

The best thing you can do is fix that speedometer/odometer or start using a GPS to keep track of distance so that you can measure and track your fuel economy. Only once you know and track your fuel economy can you begin to improve it.

Thanks thisholycow...My wife wants the speedo to work also.....I personally like being in the dark....'specially about my mpg's

:lol: