Gas and Mileage

What kind of gas do these flathead motors run? additives? Diff valve seats? etc. I am gettin bits and pieces

What kind of MPG are you all getting from 302s and smaller motors on these little cars?

I am suffering from 7-9 mpg big blocks and am curious in driving costs of a completed (hahah -"complete") rod? Not talking plugs and points type maintenance, mainly fuel and fuel types/ valves and what not?

 

My 8B with original hardened seats, run on 95 octane (thats the lowest we can get in Sweden)
And with two carbs on a thickstun intake, and 3,78 rear and 8.20 wheels.
I get 10km per 1.3 litre gas. thats around 18mpg.

No additives or anything, and ive driven 200000 km since i got my car ready withou a hitch.

My friend with an full house 8Ba with merc crank 3,3/16 bore, race cam relived. Four carbs he get's around 10mpg, but he gets there faster than me

 

When my dad's 50 Ford V8 sedan was close to new - OD trans - he got 19 mpg pulling a teardrop. (Two adults, three kids, 5, 10 & 12 years old, tent - for the kids - camping gear, food and luggage.)
Seems like I heard some highway mileage figures of 21 mpg - unladen.
Dad kept good records and I'm sure these figures are correct.

Far as my 2400# 32 roadster with mild cam 462" Buick goes, 10-12 mpg is about it for combined city/highway driving. (16-17 mpg for strictly highway.)
(It would probably be better if I didn't nail it on the on-ramps now and then, but . . . fun costs money.... )

A lot of it depends on the gasoline you use.
Our 88 Mustang GT was getting 20-21 mpg city/highway and the 89 Ranger - V6 with stick - was getting 19-20 mpg city/highway.
Both cars dropped about 10% in the mileage dept. when California foisted MTBE onto us.
And they're still using the stuff even though it's poisoning the water supply and far as I know, it's virtually impossible to get out of the water.

All arguments aside, I always wondered about smog programs, equipment, fuel etc. that made you burn say 5% more fuel for a 1% improvement in smog.
If you burn more fuel then you're making more smog in the end.

Like always, the answer is simple. $$$. You got it, they want it....

 

Awesome. 14mpg would DOUBLE my retarded 7mpg. I was guessing I could maybe get around 14-15 from a 302 (pump reg unleaded). It has those heads with the heart shape or "M" shape. This guy mentioned they were most expensive part he purchased for motor... not sure what they are but it has a mild cam and stall, so I am guessing it is around 200hp? I guessed my 390 to be around 340 simply because the motor when stock is supposed to be 300hp (book info only)

I haven't messed around with any flathead motors. Only thing close that I have experience even looking at was when making sure this little 144 isn't locked up. It will fire, but it is rough and would make a fun project for this winter. But, if the motor is useless to my cause, I am not going to fool with it. I don't have enough experience to make an informed decision. Realistic expectations are what I am looking for. 250-300 size motors sounds logical to me, is the 144 just too small?

Thank you for helping out a noobie!

 

Mr. 42 what carb,s are you running? 94's -97's? If running 94's what power valve are you using,or did you block it off?Im asking because my 8ba in a 1700lb roadster with 3:78 gears is only getting 10mpg.I have 4.5 power valves and 45 jet's in my 94's on a thikstun manifold.The car run's great just lousy milage.

 

This may not be all that helpful, since we now have to deal with unleaded gas, but my dad had a '49 Ford (3 spd. OD) tudor when I was a kid that he claims was the best car he ever had. It got 22 mpg at 60 mph. My uncle's similarly equipped '48 coupe got about 17-18, but he usually drove it about as fast as it would go (pre-radar you know).

Dad always said that when he and Uncle Ed worked at the same factory about 20 miles from home, they would leave work at the same time. Dad drove 60; Ed drove...faster. They usually stopped at the same tavern in town. Ed wouldn't be done with his first beer by the time Dad got there (Ed drank fast), so Dad always figured driving 60 left him more money for beer. My dad was always wise

I guess how you drive still makes a difference, but if you want mileage, the flathead would still be hard to beat.

 

I m using Stromberg 81's with the original jet sizes.
Some friends tried to convince me i needed 43 jet's
And got 9mpg and black pipes.

After i found one leaking powervalve and changed back to 35 jet's im back to 19 mpg