[71GP76TA]

I got 24.2mpg out of a '70 Monte Carlo driving from Vallejo CA to Spokane WA back in the late 80's

I was able to wring 22mpg out of a '67 Chevelle

Both car were stock SBC's with 2bbl carbs.

[goatwgn]

Originally Posted by Radman

You guys are disappointing me, this is a Pontiac forum and after 19 posts the Pontiac Tempest has not been mentioned. The stock slant 4 with the 2 speed automatic got 23 MPG while I drove it in college. I bet the 3 and 4 speed got even better.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Radman

You guys are disappointing me, this is a Pontiac forum and after 19 posts the Pontiac Tempest has not been mentioned. The stock slant 4 with the 2 speed automatic got 23 MPG while I drove it in college. I bet the 3 and 4 speed got even better.

All my Lemans/Tempests have had V8s....



...so I have not personally experienced that.

K

[pontiacs-r-us]

The oil company carb story may or may not be a urban legend,but there is no denying that car co.'s had cars in early to mid 80's that did 40-50mpg i.e..VW Rabbit,Dodge omni,Ford Festiva,etc..I.Think gas co.'s maybe lobbied to kill those?But what I'm getting at,is the technology has been there for a long time.I had a 97 Bonny that got 40mpg hwy many times.And it had lots of power,& would carry 5 people & luggage...My 04 has done 33mpg.Now they want you to think the new cars getting 32mpg are best thing since sliced bread!!! The powers to be want to pour water over our heads,& tell us it's raining !!!



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[pontiacs-r-us]

The gas co. carb story may or may not be a myth?Truth is car company's had cars in early to mid 80's that did 40-50mpg and maybe more.(VW Rabbit,Dodge Omni,Ford Festiva,etc...Maybe Oil Co.'s killed those too? What I'm getting at is the technology has been there for a long time.So why no improvement from then till now? They want you to think the new cars getting 30-32mpg are best thing since sliced bread.I had 97 Bonny that got 40mpg hwy (many times),& it would ride 5 adults and their luggage,& had plenty of power.My 04 does 32-33.The powers -to -be want to pour water over our heads,& tell us it's raining!!! My 66 Lemans ohc-6 does around 20mpg,and that's 48 year old technology....


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[pontiacs-r-us]

Sorry for repeat,said 1st one failed to send.Oops...


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[post toastie]

I owned a 67 tempest with a tired ohc six, one barrel carb and two speed. It passed California smog in the early nineties and got 24 mpg on a trip to Oregon averaging 70 mph.
Gas was fairly cheap at that time, it was costing me about 10 to 15 dollars a week.

[TempestFugit]

My '63 Lemans 4cyl 4bbl 4spd gets an honest 24mpg on the highway (70mph) with a loaded trunk and a passenger or two.

[rustedgoat]

Cars today are loaded with so many extras and safety features the extra weight has its effect on mileage.

Those cars in the mid 80's while on paper got higher mpg. They were light weight and had few options. I can't even imagine how they would rate in a crash test today. Cruising at 80 mph in any of them would be scary. I'd also guess running on todays gas would effect the mileage.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Do the Vega's and Pinto's of the 70's qualify as classics ?

Saw a couple of Mercury Bobcats in a local salvage yard a couple of weeks ago.
Have not seen one anywhere else in ages. One was a station wagon.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Baron Von Zeppelin

Do the Vega's and Pinto's of the 70's qualify as classics ?

Saw a couple of Mercury Bobcats in a local salvage yard a couple of weeks ago.
Have not seen one anywhere else in ages. One was a station wagon.

Yessir, I remember those, and this commercial http://youtu.be/fQeG_C1-JIA

I can tell you from personal experience: My old girlfriend had a '76 Mustang II MPG w (IIRC) OHC 4 2.3L 4-spd standard, and it was a heavy, slow turd that got terrible mileage...often breaking down. Miss it not.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by rustedgoat

Cruising at 80 mph in any of them would be scary. I'd also guess running on todays gas would effect the mileage.

Around here your classic (or daily driven classic) better be able to cruise at 80 mph or you are going to get run over.

Speed limits are a sort of "...suggestion...".



I haven't cruised steadily at 80 mph in mine since....well....since on the way in to work this morning.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by pontiacs-r-us

The oil company carb story may or may not be a urban legend,but there is no denying that car co.'s had cars in early to mid 80's that did 40-50mpg i.e..VW Rabbit,Dodge omni,Ford Festiva,etc..I.Think gas co.'s maybe lobbied to kill those?But what I'm getting at,is the technology has been there for a long time.I had a 97 Bonny that got 40mpg hwy many times.And it had lots of power,& would carry 5 people & luggage...My 04 has done 33mpg.Now they want you to think the new cars getting 32mpg are best thing since sliced bread!!! The powers to be want to pour water over our heads,& tell us it's raining !!!

Since I work for the auto industry I can tell you: the carb story is a myth.

The problem with conspiracy theories is that they require a wide range of a certain level of "competence" which I don't usually find in large organizations.

K

[camerjeff]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Since I work for the auto industry I can tell you: the carb story is a myth.

The problem with conspiracy theories is that they require a wide range of a certain level of "competence" which I don't usually find in large organizations.

K

Great insight Keith, I agree completely. I often find it amusing how the same person who tells me the Government can not doing anything right, usually is the one who then tells me about an elaborate conspiracy that would need hundreds if not thousands of people to keep quite.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Originally Posted by David Jones

My daily driver is a 157" WB 2012 F150 super crew with a fuel injected 5.0 V8 with 365hp and an auto trans. I also routinely get 20-22mpg and the current average for 36000 miles is 19.

We've come a looooong way..........

Checked the trans fluid in that fine machine lately???

[rohrt]

Seems like a huge gap from a 4 cylinder that get 24mpg and a feather duster getting 36.

[Lightfoot]

Originally Posted by pontiacs-r-us

I had 97 Bonny that got 40mpg hwy (many times),& it would ride 5 adults and their luggage,& had plenty of power.

I think that particular Bonne must have had an inaccurate odometer (as in fast).
I can believe low 30s, as I've had multiple 3800 Buick LeSabres achieve over 30. The best I ever got was 32.* which I aways figure conservatively. Could have been 33-34 in reality, but I may have over squeezed the tank on the previous fill.
I'm not buying 40 mpg unless you happen to always have a 35-40 mph tail wind follow you around.

[thunderguns71]

The owners manual for my 1961 Ford Falcon talks about getting 30mpg. Too bad I never checked to see what it really got when I used to drive it. You sure didn't pull out in front of anyone though lol..

[Bob Dillon]

Originally Posted by Lightfoot

I think that particular Bonne must have had an inaccurate odometer (as in fast).
I can believe low 30s, as I've had multiple 3800 Buick LeSabres achieve over 30. The best I ever got was 32.* which I aways figure conservatively. Could have been 33-34 in reality, but I may have over squeezed the tank on the previous fill.
I'm not buying 40 mpg unless you happen to always have a 35-40 mph tail wind follow you around.

I've owned a '99 Bonny (bought new) and now drive a '97 (low mileage mama's car) and the best I've ever gotten was 28 on a long trip, 65 mph with the cruise set.

A lot of other guys on my Bonneville board claim more. I'm very skeptical. My everyday mileage is around 21-22 in mixed driving, and my scanner says my fuel trims and all sensors are perfect. I'm satisfied with that mileage in a large, well-optioned comfortable car.

[pontiacs-r-us]

You can believe or not,up to you...My father bought a 93 just before moving to Ga.He called me and said he got 39mpg on first trip down.I really thought he was crazy.I honestly didn't believe him.Years later I got the 97,and first trip to Delaware I also got 40.Thought I had done bad math.After multiple trips there,I was amazed!!! As I said before my 04(bought new) did 33mpg on same route.It has 17" tires vs 16",& is geared 3:07 compared 2:9? In 97. My GrandFather has owned Buick's w/same 3.8,& never got what the Pontiac's did.I wasn't saying this to debate over if my car did or not,just saying it was a big car that did better than new Cars that have a lot less size.


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