What kind of mileage do you get in your antique car?

[Terry Harper]

On the other hand, the 1907 Lombard averages about .143 cords per mile. Preferably well seasoned hardwood cut in 16 inch lengths and split not too fine.

 

[John_S_in_Penna]

My 1978 Lincoln Mark V achieved 14 m.p.g. on the

highway, with an admittedly light foot on the gas pedal.

My 1984 Buick Electra Park Avenue, downsized from

the previous generation, can get 22 to 23 on the highway.

 

I think the Electra would be a car suitable to today's needs:

roomy, well styled, yet economical enough for today's prices.

I wish Buick made such a car now as much as in 1984.

 

Edited April 14 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Paul Dobbin]

21 hours ago, Pfeil said:

All mileage checks at HWY speeds. What else is there in N. AZ.

1962 Pontiac Catalina. Non op. built for grand touring. Expect 15-18 MPG VP leaded racing fuel 100LL octane.  

1963 Pontiac Catalina 389 12- 18 MPG 10% ethanol 87 Octane.

1964 113 VW Beetle deluxe 1200 40hp, 34 MPG 10% ethanol - 38MPG Ethanol free 87 octane. 

1965 111 VW Beetle 1200"A", 1200 36hp, 38 MPG 10% ethanol - 42MPG Ethanol free 87 octane.

1969 Pontiac LeMans 7.2L Grand Touring 15-18 MPG VP racing fuel leaded 100LL octane.

1976 Oldsmobile Omega brougham 4.1L, 24-26 MPG 10% ethanol 28-30MPG 87 Ethanol free.

2012 NISSAN Sentra SL, DOHC 2.0 4cyl, CVT, steady state level ground 3,000 elevation 70 MPH= 2100RPM and 42MPG, at 100MPH 37. MPG 10% ethanol 87 octane. 

2019 NISSAN Frontier Crew Cab DOHC 4.1 VQ, 5sp automatic with 4 & 5 gear with lock up converter. 26-28MPG 10% ethanol 87 octane.

 

It seems that all the cars that can run ethanol free fuel get 4mpg more mpg than 10% ethanol fuel. Think about that and the millions of cars in the U.S.A. using 10% ethanol and how much fuel we could save if all fuel were ethanol free. And the powers above us want 15%,

what stupidity.  

  I agree with the better MPG with non-ethenol.   I also found that synthetic oil improved my MPG in my newer cars.

[BobinVirginia]

62 Impala with base 265 hp GM crate 350 headers and SP2 intake 4 speed Saginaw with 3:08 rear and 235-75-15 tires yields about 22 mpg at 65 mph. Sporting an 800 CFM q-jet with a one inch adapter, the primary 200 cfm way exceeds Holley carbs on  efficiency 

I’ve had 6 engines in it from nasty to original which I still have. Bought car with original 327 at 19 years old almost 27 years ago 

Edited April 15 by BobinVirginia (see edit history)

[dave72]

I had a 50 Plymouth special deluxe 4 door in high school. Cruising at 50 mph I'd get 21-22 mpg. At .70 a gallon (1988) I could cruise for hours for $5. Right now I have a 1949 Chevy 6400 dump truck. Driving it back from S Dakota at 40mph. I think it got about 12mpg. Weighs 7500 lbs empty😏

[nick8086]

😝

[54Coupe]

1940 Hudson 2dr sedan. 56 Hornet engine. 500 CFM four barrel, and headers. Automatic with overdrive. 3.56:1 rear end. 23MPG at 65MPH.

[BobinVirginia]

15 hours ago, 54Coupe said:

1940 Hudson 2dr sedan. 56 Hornet engine. 500 CFM four barrel, and headers. Automatic with overdrive. 3.56:1 rear end. 23MPG at 65MPH.

That’s impressive! I would like to put an overdrive unit on mine. I’ve had people tell me they’d never drive a car like that on a long trip because of gas money. Then when I ask what they drive it’s typically a modern pickup or suv on a roadtrip. lol 

They don’t believe me when I tell them they’re getting the same or worse mileage than I am. I would drive that Hudson all over the place. Especially if you can run 87 which is the garbage I run in the Impala. Ethanol free would no doubt perform better in my car. 

[edinmass]

Drove the late model V-16 150 miles over the weekend. On interstate 95 at 75 mph it averaged 4.2 mpg. On surface roads about 5.8

[69merc]

On 4/14/2024 at 11:35 PM, BobinVirginia said:

yields about 22 mpg at 65 mph

how do you calculate that?

[BobinVirginia]

Averaging 65 on a trip to SC the average speed over a given distance tracked by gps and the amount of fuel used. That’s flat ground and varying speed limits. Driving the car at 75 mph on Interstate I-81 here in the mountains it tends to drop to about 18mph at higher rpm and increased wind resistance along with hilly terrain does have quite an effect on the mph. 
I need to put a vacuum gauge in the car and see how much difference there is in the different speeds under load. I have all timing in at by 2,500 at 36 degrees total and 10 initial. The combo currently seems very happy with that especially with the very tight intake runners. The spacer helped with equalizing fuel load on the small block as the outer cylinders tend to run leaner. The intake stops making any power around 4-4,500 rpm. When it tends to flatten out there at WOT 

The high vacuum with the tiny intake runners and tiny 200cfm primaries work well on my combo. 

[BobinVirginia]

24 minutes ago, edinmass said:

Drove the late model V-16 150 miles over the weekend. On interstate 95 at 75 mph it averaged 4.2 mpg. On surface roads about 5.8

All things considered with twice the cylinders of my cars I’d say that’s not bad! 

[BobinVirginia]

@69merc

BTW, 

Last year a friend did the drive to SC with me in his 65 390 galaxie. Rebuilt engine factory spec cam Brawler 750 carb, aluminum dual plane intake, headers, top loader 4 speed 3:90 rear diff with 215/75 tires I believe? I know they’re around 28” tall. 
He bought the car a month before that and found out after the drive it only got 10 mpg. So I dug into the car and found the MSD distributor was locked out. No vacuum advance at all on it. Someone put a full racing distributor in an almost bone stock rebuild street car. I unlocked and put a curve kit in it pulling a safe total timing of 28 degrees and 10 initial since I’m not sure of static compression and he is running 87 octane. I enjoy tuning and sorting out old cars. 
 

This year he got 14mpg with absolutely no other changes. It’s a cool car wearing original paint and the original engine. I think I could wring some more out of it when I get time. 

Edited April 16 by BobinVirginia (see edit history)

[R W Burgess]

1 hour ago, edinmass said:

Drove the late model V-16 150 miles over the weekend. On interstate 95 at 75 mph it averaged 4.2 mpg. On surface roads about 5.8

Picture of the V-16???

[Frank DuVal]

If I LIKED a collector/second/sunny day car I would never sell it because of fuel milage. It is Smiles Per Mile I want.  Do you hear of happy boaters complain of the cost to fill those fuel tanks on large boats? Or airplane owners? It costs money to enjoy hobbies. Period. 

 

10 MPG. Just how many miles do you drive your collector (etc) car in a year? I doubt it is 10,000 miles. More like 1,000 or less for most people. That's 100 gallons so under $500 for most of the US for a year's enjoyment. Maybe soon close to $700 for premium in California. Just look what Europe pays! Cheap here!!!!!!

 

Does one also look at how many quarts of oil the pan holds? Oooh, 7 quarts, can't afford to change that every year....😲  I need a 4 quart car (4.5 for some models of Prius).

 

I just do not get the complaints. Of course I wondered how many people took a bath during the oil crises in money lost in car value just to get a better fuel mileage car to drive to work vs cost of fuel? I'm sure many would have been money ahead to keep their car. You have to do the math to get an answer, not seat of the pants "oh *&^ I need another ten at the pump".

[BobinVirginia]

Yep! That’s the ultimate goal, Fun! 

[kuhner]

My 27  model T pickup gets about 16 mpg,

my 1956 VW Beetle gets 30

 

[JD in KC]

1949 (factory re-numbered to 1950) Packard 23rd Series Custom Eight Touring Sedan.  356 ci straight eight flathead with a 1st generation 'Ultramatic' transmission.  10-13 MPG using Premium Ethanol free.

[69merc]

On 4/16/2024 at 1:28 PM, Frank DuVal said:

I just do not get the complaints.

What complaints?

[Terry Harper]

On 4/16/2024 at 1:28 PM, Frank DuVal said:

Does one also look at how many quarts of oil the pan holds? Oooh, 7 quarts, can't afford to change that every year....😲  I need a 4 quart car (4.5 for some models of Prius).

 

Funny you should mention that. The aforementioned 1928 Lombard Tractor-Truck took 16 quarts (4 gallons) on the last oil change. And goes through the better part of a tube of grease per 4 hours of operation. If we hit all 64 grease fittings (once per year) that jumps up to two tubes. I really need to invest in one of those battery powered grease guns!
 

However, the fun quotation is tipped way to far into the positive for the cost of oil or fuel to be of any concern. I am sure most of us feel that way about the automobiles, trucks, etc. we love so much.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

I just completed a 2100 mile jaunt in the '50 Buick.   Dragging the teardrop along.  17.8 mpg.

 

  Ben

[BobinVirginia]

1 minute ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said:

I just completed a 2100 mile jaunt in the '50 Buick.   Dragging the teardrop along.  17.8 mpg.

 

  Ben

That’s great! I hope you enjoyed every mile. I love hearing about the old iron doing what they were meant to do.