1961 283/270 4 speed fuel mileage

[Gordon W.]

Engine runs great, plugs look great, timing is 14* initial and 42 total. No vacuum advance on the original distributor. The best mileage I have seen now is 10mpg. Last tank I got 9.4.

I'm not sure when the EPA started and when manufacturers started publishing fuel economy #s.

I'd be curious to hear what others are seeing with their cars. I'm sure a vacuum advance would help but I'm not pulling the original distributor.

[Duke W.]

Re: 1961 283/270 4 speed fuel mileage

Fuel mileage is highly dependent on the driving environment and driving style. Short trips and/or low speed stop and go driving or driving around town in second gear all the time can yield half the fuel mileage of steady freeway speed cruising, so everyone has to at least give a qualitative overview of their driving enviroment to make even rough comparisons.

Duke

[Bruce B.]

Re: 1961 283/270 4 speed fuel mileage

Gordon,
I drive a 62 340 HP 4 speed car which now has a 3.36 rear in it.
I get a good solid 11-13 MPG on the highway.
Around town a little less.
Bruce B

[Gordon W.]

Re: 1961 283/270 4 speed fuel mileage

Bruce, thanks for your data.

Good point, Duke. I logged 200 Miles last month but it was all stop and go around town kind of driving. Next chapter meet is a 250 mile round trip for me so I'll see what some heavy freeway driving yields.