question about gas milage on older muscle cars

[quads14589]

i was wondering how many miles to the gallon you would get on a older muscle car with a 350,383,454 or 455 big block would get for highway and just cruisin around?

[400exrider707]

All depends on setup... most dont ever see over 10 for the big blocks.

[quads14589]

like restored motors with edlebroc carbs

[bwamos]

If gas mileage is of concern at all. The old big block muscle cars aren't for you. LOL.

[quads14589]

327 v8

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by quads14589
327 v8

Like I said setup depends on it, a restored motor with an edelbrock doesn't tell us squat... theres way too many variables on those old motors, there are an infinite number of different parts for them....

10 or less is a good rule of thumb though.

[2004-400ex]

a friend has a stock 400 sbc in his firebird and he gets like 9 or 10 highway

[72 chevelle ss]

My dad's camaro has a 302, and it gets about 7 highway.

[MOFO]

Old muscle cars and big blocks do not go in the same sentence with "gas mileage" or "MPG".

Next to the motor, the most important variable in determining gas mileage will be your gear ratio (transmission and rear end). Higher RPM's during cruising = lower MPG. Lower RPM's during cruise speed = higher MPG - in most cases.

[TWISTED]

Originally posted by MOFO
Old muscle cars and big blocks do not go in the same sentence with "gas mileage" or "MPG".

Next to the motor, the most important variable in determining gas mileage will be your gear ratio (transmission and rear end). Higher RPM's during cruising = lower MPG. Lower RPM's during cruise speed = higher MPG - in most cases.

The 1st sentence says it all......

[CannondaleRider]

Yeah, if your looking for the gas mileage on a vehicle like your thinking about, you may want to look for something else.

If your just curious, then ok, lol.


I used to have a 1972 Chevy C10 Longbed street truck. Had a basically stock 402BB, only a filter, and a few other odds and ends. Turbo 400 Tranny..............even for it being basically stock, truck hauled balls.

You could drive it as nice, and as MPG friendly as possible, it would MAYBE hit 9.....usually stuck around 7 or 8..........romp on it and your getting 3-5............and, if you've ever drove anything like that, you know how hard it is to stay out of it.

[stalefish_132]

there are alot of factors with a v8 musle car, engine being one but alto has to do with how well its tuned ( alot of people have a tendancy to over carb their engine esp. small blocks). trans missions, gears weight all play a major roll in this two. a great deal has to do with driving habits:devil:

for example i know a local engine builder her in town with a 1970 monte carlo 454, this car is pretty hot for a full size muscle car. but keep in mind he's a very good engine builder and that 454 puts out aroudn 450 crank hp, but get this he get 24mpg on the highway, built 700R4, very tall gears in the read end and he drives it like a grandma.

if done right a small block or big block CAN get decent milage, no honda civic but 20mpg isnt to much to ask really.:ermm:

[deathman53]

don't they have 2 and 4 barrel carbs, sometimes 2 carbs. So, in theory, the harder you press the pedal, the more chambers of the carb open which=alot less mpg???

[Sjorge450R]

my friend has both a 69 and 70 Dodge Dart, both have V-8's and neither of them get over 9MPH.

[quads14589]

if i do plan on gettin a car with a larger motor or engine then i better be planning on ridin the bus:blah:

[bwamos]

Originally posted by deathman53
don't they have 2 and 4 barrel carbs, sometimes 2 carbs. So, in theory, the harder you press the pedal, the more chambers of the carb open which=alot less mpg???

Some (like some of the Vettes) even had three carbs (a 2-barrel and 2 4-barrels) in progression on a riser intake manifold.

[Blue250X]

Originally posted by Sjorge300EX
my friend has both a 69 and 70 Dodge Dart, both have V-8's and neither of them get over 9MPH.

That's odd, even my bicycle gets over 9 MPH....:blah: I think you meant MPG:p

[ugottabayou]

My Mustang with a mildly cammed 302 , edelbrock carb/intake, 351 heads, get 12 MPG highway on a GOOD day when its tuned up right. Thats running through a stock C4 transmission with stock 2.80 gears in the rear end.

[Raptor68]

I have a '70 Dodge Charger with a 383 Magnum with a 4bbl Holley carb, 727 TorqueFlite trans and 3.23 gears. It gets MAYBE 12 mpg, prolly more like 10.

[firefighterjosh]

Like other said it depends on set - up.

My friends 454 drag/street car gets 8MPG taking it easy with race fuel.

While his 350 Small Block in his 70s truck gets over 20 will a mild rebuild and small carb.

[nosliw]

i've got an old tempest with a 326 V8, 2spd powerglide and 2.56 rear end (doesn't upshift till 45mph, to give you an idea of the gearing)

with a 250cfm 4bbl holley i'm nabbing 17mph highway.

[Rich250RRacer]

My '68 Firebird with a 428 gets 5 mpg, and it really doesn't matter if I'm on the highway or in the city.

[Camaroguy87132]

In my 1986 Cutlass 442 with an 1968-1970 Olds 350 kinda built up it gets about 6 mpg. Which is why I don't drive it that much.

Scenario- Filled up before I left for a friends house one weekend. Filled up saturday, drove around about 10 miles in town. Took the 50 mile trip to my friends house, drove around about 50 miles down there and had to fill up again....

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b121/Camaroguy87132/cutlass%20442/truck3001.jpg

[Ghost-Rider]

Originally posted by firefighterjosh


My friends 454 drag/street car gets 8MPG taking it easy with race fuel.



Nothing i love more than the smell of burnin racing fuel :o

[sly400ex]

Originally posted by Camaroguy87132
In my 1986 Cutlass 442 with an 1968-1970 Olds 350 kinda built up it gets about 6 mpg. Which is why I don't drive it that much.

Scenario- Filled up before I left for a friends house one weekend. Filled up saturday, drove around about 10 miles in town. Took the 50 mile trip to my friends house, drove around about 50 miles down there and had to fill up again....

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b121/Camaroguy87132/cutlass%20442/truck3001.jpg

Is that with an extrmely heavy foot or something? I had almost the exact same setup in my 86 cutlass but I only had 3.73 in the rear. But I still got well over 10 mpg on the 15 hwy.

I had a 72 Olds 350 block with high comp pistons with the performer set up. 600 cfm carb.