V6 for daily/mileage in an early 50's Buick

I wondered if anyone was running a V6 with a 700R4 OD and getting any good mileage in an early 50's GM as a daily and what mileage you might be getting ?

What motor and trans are you running ?

Trying to figure a way to not get forced into a modern 4cyl car.

Thanks

Jeff

 

I ran a 2.8 Chevy V6 in a 49 Chevy with a standard three speed (non overdrive) automatic a few years back and it did pretty good on gas. I just had a five gallon marine gas tank, but I could drive quite a ways on that! It was no speed freak, but it was reliable and sipped the fuel sparingly!!!

 

One of the small BOP (Buick or Olds) aluminum V8s (or Rover), Quadrajet carb, electronic ignition with a good vacuum advance, and OD trans (T5, 200R4, 700R4, etc.) would do real well, too.

You might get lucky and find the drivetrain intact for cheap in a turbo V6/200R4 Buick like I saw at the U Pull It on San Fernando in Sun Valley a couple of years back, but probably not with the price of scrap at 240 a ton and climbing.

 

Does it have a motor already? If so maybe look into keeping that if it runs good and changing the trans to an o.d. and better rear gears.
Otherwise keep it all Buick and go with a 231 Buick. A few speed parts out there too for these as well as easy parts availability and decent mileage.
They put these motors in 98's and full size Buicks so the weight shouldn't be an issue. It will still be slow though.

 

The adapters kits are too much, about 1300.00 and don't want to use the Straight 8 anyway.

Don't care if it's slow. Just don't want it so underpowered that it'd do better with a small V8 anyway.

Also don't want to get into anything exotic or hard to find like the old alum. V8's or anything.

Just a modern V6 carbureted with OD.

Just wanted to see if anyone was getting good mileage in an early 50's GM and what they were running.

 

try looking for a 4.1 litre from mid 80's GM's. They have a little more power but mostly more torque than the 3.8 so that should help.
You could probably get a 4.3 Chevy out of an Astro Van or full size truck. You can get carb intakes for both.

 

My uncle had a 4.3 from an S10 in his 51. Best part about em is that they have the same bolt pattern as a small block and most came with the 700R already hooked up.

 

I have a 91 s-10 blazer 2wd 4 door air ,power windows, 4.3 v6 ,700r4,265,000 miles on it,it weigh 4,000 pounds,stock timig is advanced 5 from stock and sparkplug gaps is reset to .060,gets 18 to 20 in town,and 21 to 23 on freeway. I think rear end is a 3.42

 

As you're kind of considering a small, shit bag engine in a heavy, cool car, how about something like a 305 chevy? It probably wouldn't get any less mileage.

 

In an early 50's Buick, I think a V6 is going to be straining under the weight. Better to use a Buick 350 with an overdrive trans and a good highway gear. An aluminum intake and anything else you can get to reduce weight would help too.