If you were motivated, could you drive your car across country starting tomorrow?

[Kern Dog]

The gearing in my car..... 3.55 gear in 5th gear .64 is a 2.27 final drive.
I'm using the MP 528 solid cam with 1.6 rocker arms. It is not a radical cam but makes decent power. Rolling down the road, it will accelerate well even in 5th. That tells me that the engine operates with decent manners at low rpms. That is often an indicator for decent fuel economy. I really should check the mileage and report back on it.

 

[Cojohnso1]

The gearing in my car..... 3.55 gear in 5th gear .64 is a 2.27 final drive.
I'm using the MP 528 solid cam with 1.6 rocker arms. It is not a radical cam but makes decent power. Rolling down the road, it will accelerate well even in 5th. That tells me that the engine operates with decent manners at low rpms. That is often an indicator for decent fuel economy. I really should check the mileage and report back on it.

Yes it is. But getting these bigger engines up to optimal RPM does take more fuel. It's more of the reasons why comparing to today's performance engines with 6/7 or even 8 speed transmissions is not an "Apples to Apples" comparison. My friend and his Hellcat keeps trying to make that comparison. I keep saying. "Give my GTX that transmission gearset and 15lbs of boost? Holy crap! I would need to tie the frame to keep her from twisting."

P.S. My drag racer Duster took care of Mr. Hellcat. With a 10.38 1/4. He was the 2nd. The first ended same way. When I saw "Amber" Never saw him again. And that's just a moderate N/A, single carb 451 build.

 

[71RRHI]

I would love to try it. My 71 is real reliable, I think it could make a cross country trip with out any major problems. Now if they would only build that bridge to california!

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I would love to try it. My 71 is real reliable, I think it could make a cross country trip with out any major problems. Now if they would only build that bridge to california!View attachment 1191942

Funny you mentioned that... I saw a car with Hawaii plates at the gas station the other day & asked the girl driving it when they completed the bridge? She looked confused so I pointed at her plates... We both got a laugh....

 

[66 Sat]

Talking gas mileage, I reckon getting your car in it's groove is the most important thing - the rpm and speed are just the result. Some cars might like 3,000 rpm and 70mph, others might like 2,500 rpm and 75 mph. Obviously if the speed is too high the wind resistance will kill the mileage, but that's what I'm trying to say - there will be a sweet spot where everything comes together and the car is just flowing.
If you were driving without a speedometer and rev gauge you would find this spot on your own.
Unfortunately sometimes trying to keep up with traffic , or being stuck behind slower traffic stops you getting in the groove. I reckon gas mileage can improve by 2-3 mpg just by knowing your car and what it likes.
Mine loves 2,900 rpm which is about 68 mph. The engine is just on the cam and it just purrs along with not much throttle.

 

[ricks_RR]

This one, I want to, but still sorting bugs. Drove her from L.A. to S.F. at 16, 40 yrs ago.. Blew my whole 100 paycheck on that trip.

View attachment 1191632

nice to see you still have her

 

[Darter6]

Any car can be set up to run good and get good fuel economy.
Compromise is the key word.Like Kern, I ran a Tremec 5 speed in my 65 with 3.73 rear 30''rear tires.
All the normal stuff under the hood.Engine was a 451 Edelbrock heads 500 AFB Try-Y headers/duals with a Comp prototype cam that was then released as the "Thumpr".No air,no power nothing, bare bones. Driving at steady 60 MPH the car averaged 16-18 mpg.Really trying to squeeze out the max to see if it could be done. Ran 2 Power Tours with this set up with a total close to 10,000 miles traveled.Of course higher speeds, throttle blades wide open many times playing with the other cars the mileage dropped to about 8.With that set up the car would run 13.30's on the strip.

 

[HawkRod]

My Sport Fury would do it comfortably but I have to say I really prefer the back roads. Drove home tonight in the dark and just love the secondary roads at night at about 45-55. Always loved those rides, especially with the magical dash in a 66-67 charger but the SF is still very nice. That stock 426-S quietly humming away as the woods go by.

When I did my cross country trip in my 70 Road Runner we mostly stuck to scenic roads (roads marked specifically as such on our paper Rand & McNally spiral map book!). They were beautiful and so much nicer than the big highways. Of course, if you need to do it quickly you need to stick to highways. But if you want to have fun, taking smaller roads in a classic car can't be beat!

Years ago with a different cam, a 727 with 3.91s and a GV Overdrive, I got 12 mpg in my Charger driving about 60 mph. That is just too damn slow, man! Now I have a milder cam, 3.55s and a Tremec 5 speed. I roll down the road at 70 doing 1900 rpms. I have not checked the fuel economy yet but I am guessing that I'm capable of 13-15 mpg even at 70. My 2007 Ram 1500 gets maybe 18 at freeway speeds so a long distance drive isn't as expensive as you might think. The issue now becomes Range. The truck has a 26 gallon tank, the Charger has 19. I've driven stretches of road where you go quite a way between gas stations. Interstate 5 between Stockton and Fresno feels pretty barren.

Yes, range in 2015 with my 70 was something we were concerned about. There were times when I filled up even though the tank was above 1/2 just because I was concerned about how far the next gas station was. And there were also times I was sweating hoping to find a gas station SOON! Luckily, we never ran out of gas.

I've read this a few times but still wonder....
What constitutes bad mileage? 5 mpg? 7 mpg?

A fairly stock car with 3.23 gears should easily crack 12 mpg at moderate freeway speeds.

For a drive across country, my "boundary" is 15 MPG; I want to get better then 15. In 2015, my 70 with a stock (and a bit tired) 383, A-833 overdrive with .78 OD and 3.55 rear averaged 17.2 MPG for the entire ride across country. And that was also with my vent line pissing away fuel when the tank was full (discovered this mid way through the trip and no longer filled up).
I was pretty happy with that fuel economy.

 

[dart4forte]

Years ago a buddy of mine took his hemi bird to Talledega for the Winged Warrior Reunion. Before going he changed out his drive train for a OD 4 speed and replaced his Dana with a 8.75 with 2.94s. On one long stretch of road he got 22 mpg. The key was adjusting the carb linkage and keeping a light foot on the peddle. If I remember correctly he said he got an average of 17 mpg.

I should note he got a lot of looks while driving through the parking lot where guys were unloading their birds out of trailers. His bird was covered in road grime, bugs all over the nose and windshield. I’ll bet the looks he got was priceless.

 

[barbee6043]

That 67 383 4 speed Cuda I flew to Ca and drove back to MO average 18 all highway going 65 to 70 But it had 2:94 gears and 10,000 mi. on a rebuild and tuned to an inch of its life!!
I've had slant Dusters with 4 speed OD get 25- 30 but who wants to drive them!!!!lol

 

[Cojohnso1]

The short walk around vid was shot at the property where I bought the car. (I know many here are tired of it, but to those who haven't? Lol.) This was in a small town on the Canadian boarder. I was debating whether to rent a U-haul trailer and tow it down. Or attempt the 250 mi drive down towards the cities on a 50 year old car I just bought and had no history? After deal completed. I talked with the now former owner on my choice. He looked at me confidently and said. "Just to the cities? Drive it. I would drive this to the coast with little worries." And for some reason I believed him. Not only was the drive no sweat and a lot more fun. (Having to slow to let tow chase truck catch up.) But I believe the car was running even better on the last half. So yes, I'm all in on a coastal run. ($21k on a non numbers matching but period correct '68 440 block, 4-speed.) Best purchase I have made in past 30 years on any vehicle. This was 3 years ago. And we have all seen what has happened with prices sence? They went a little bananas in my opinion.

 

[1 MEAN66]

Ya but at 8-10mpg, might be costly. If things go well will add a sniper(850) to it this winter, and enlarge the fuel cell to a 20 gallon, maybe some day an overdrive.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I drove cross country back in 1984 & I'd love to take a several-week long road trip again to see some of the beautiful sites this country has to offer. Don't know if I'd want to do it in an old car though.

Now here's someone with real determination....

 

[threewood]

I wouldn't have any problem traveling cross country but the bad mpg plus high fuel cost would send me to the poor house.

 

[retractable]

I would drive my 64 Fury wagon to California or other places with no worries. I have new tires,new brakes,heads just done. I feel it is ready for a long trip. Now just find time to do it.

 

[barbee6043]

I would drive my 64 Fury wagon to California or other places with no worries. I have new tires,new brakes,heads just done. I feel it is ready for a long trip. Now just find time to do it.

View attachment 1193371 View attachment 1193374

Simple. Lave Mn. before the snow flies!! OK so maybe you are late!!!

 

[Hey-O]

I drove cross country back in 1984 & I'd love to take a several-week long road trip again to see some of the beautiful sites this country has to offer. Don't know if I'd want to do it in an old car though.

Now here's someone with real determination....

I get that and I've never done it, but, I'm ready!!

 

[Dennis H]

When the efi was put in, also put in larger fuel tank. About 21 gallons. Really took the edge off of range.

 

[64fury74charger]

Either one of our cars are more than capable of driving cross country or up and down the coast with no issues. Most recently the 64 Sport Fury averaged 14.5 going to work for a week. That’s in Seattle traffic so no complaints from me.
The Charger was around 13.5 before the efi install and I have not checked it after because I am not going to drive with all the idiots here who can’t drive in the rain yet they live where it rains 11 months of the year.
Just a foot note, the Hearse is a blast to drive and average just over 20 in Seattle traffic.

 

[retractable]

Barbee. We have tried going south but I need my shop to keep me busy when the snow flies. I need to keep busy with working on my cars and other projects.