What are you getting MPG?

[404NOTFOUND]

My done up 440 with 727 and 3.54 gears gets 11mpg highway. I've never checked the city mileage cause I don't wanna know. I'm now trying to stick to driving it only one day a week. It's just getting too expensive.

[Dino]

we can only hope that that's as bad as it gets.   

Don't put any money on that claim, you might need it for gas...

[chargd72]

1972 minimum wage = $1.60
1972 gallon of gas = $.35

That means 21% of your hourly pay will buy you a gallon of gas.

2012 minimum wage national average = 7.50$
2012 gallon of gas national average = $4.19

Today, 56% of your hourly pay will buy you ONE gallon of gas!


What do these statistics mean?  Well, basically it means I want to throw up and crap my pants I'm so disgusted by it.

[1969chargerrtse]

1972 minimum wage = $1.60
1972 gallon of gas = $.35

That means 21% of your hourly pay will buy you a gallon of gas.

2012 minimum wage national average = 7.50$
2012 gallon of gas national average = $4.19

Today, 56% of your hourly pay will buy you ONE gallon of gas!


What do these statistics mean?  Well, basically it means I want to throw up and crap my pants I'm so disgusted by it.

Wow, thanks for doing the math.  I remember when gas was .25

[lloyd3]

I guess the "glass is half-full" perspective is that we "curmudgeons" got to have lots of fun at the .23 cent per gallon price.  Does that mean we're responsible for "global warming" and all the starving children in the Sudan?  No.  That was simply how the world was then, and I'm greatful for the experience.  We had cars, kids nowadays have iPods.  Not a trade I'd want to make.

[westcoastdodge]

think i can get around 200 miles on a full tank,stock 440,727 and 323 gear,wonder what that works out at

[elanmars]

with the current '69, which has bad tires and a bad carb, about 16-18 mpg so far.. 318 2 barrel, 727, 2.76.

Good ole' 318!  So how's the driving experience compared to a big block?  I would love to be in the 20 range.

it was weird the first day driving it, flooring it and it taking a few seconds to really "go" so to speak. My last Charger, when I first got it, the 383 was a total hog and I got it fixed up so it hauled no problem...and yeah that's all fun but I'm more of a cruiser and barely ever really "got on it", so I'm really digging the crap out of the 318 and the gas mileage it's getting. most of the time stopping at a gas station, still having more gallons than I thought I did (gas gauge isn't currently working so I've had to calculate for gas).

I am, however, planning down the road to put a newer 5.7/6.1 hemi in it, so I can have the MPG plus the fun!n

[67440chrg]

My 440 11.5:1 compression 727, 355 sure grip, decent tune I get 9mpg highway driving civilized.

[472 R/T SE]

think i can get around 200 miles on a full tank,stock 440,727 and 323 gear,wonder what that works out at

200 miles divided by 19 gallons = 10.526315789473684210526315789474 or rounded off to 10.53   

[myk]

Lol.  Uh same as everyone else here, about 10 mpg with a crappy 440, overly rich Edelbrock 'carb, freeway gears and a standard Torq-flyte...

[Dino]

Lol.  Uh same as everyone else here, about 10 mpg with a crappy 440, overly rich Edelbrock 'carb, freeway gears and a standard Torq-flyte...

Sounds like mine!  I don't know about you but I'm getting really tired of the eddy carb.  Apart from a rock steady idle I'm not a fan of that paperweight.

it was weird the first day driving it, flooring it and it taking a few seconds to really "go" so to speak. My last Charger, when I first got it, the 383 was a total hog and I got it fixed up so it hauled no problem...and yeah that's all fun but I'm more of a cruiser and barely ever really "got on it", so I'm really digging the crap out of the 318 and the gas mileage it's getting. most of the time stopping at a gas station, still having more gallons than I thought I did (gas gauge isn't currently working so I've had to calculate for gas).

I am, however, planning down the road to put a newer 5.7/6.1 hemi in it, so I can have the MPG plus the fun!n

Yeah a hemi would be fun in one of those!  I would still love a 360 efi engine but the cost of that swap will let me drive the 440 for a looooooong time to come.

[autodynamics]

As years go by the carb will be phased out. Cool yes period correct yes, however we all realize 10mpg is not good
Drum brakes and stopping like crap .....not good
Quite frankly after driving today's car fuel injection, power everything, mpg, and so on we expect more from these old cars.
Resto mod is here to stay the older guys will pass what will be left are people who don't remember carbs, and we're born around fuel injection and conviences, that's why a old car that has fuel economy ,power, brake and handling will be worth more and driven more than a car that can only be driven locally and smells like raw fuel...

My defenition of a carb........is a controlled drip of fuel ,pretty ancient

[Dino]

As years go by the carb will be phased out. Cool yes period correct yes, however we all realize 10mpg is not good
Drum brakes and stopping like crap .....not good
Quite frankly after driving today's car fuel injection, power everything, mpg, and so on we expect more from these old cars.
Resto mod is here to stay the older guys will pass what will be left are people who don't remember carbs, and we're born around fuel injection and conviences, that's why a old car that has fuel economy ,power, brake and handling will be worth more and driven more than a car that can only be driven locally and smells like raw fuel...

My defenition of a carb........is a controlled drip of fuel ,pretty ancient

Although I agree with what you're saying, it's not all black and white.  Yes good brakes are a must if you're on the street, yes raw fuel smell is not fun ever and yes it would be nice to know that you won't stall anywhere because in EFI we trust!

But a lot of people like the old cars just because of what it is.  I do as well up to a point.  I need to drive mine so I do need better brakes and if I could justify the $3K or whatever it is for efi I would bolt it on tomorrow.  Then again I couldn't do without the old gauges or the original seats, it's part of the car and it's part of what I like.

I love what you pro touring guys do to these cars because it shows that you can make them handle like a modern car but for me personally it wouldn't work as I don't want everything to be modern.

I think upgrading brakes, steering, suspension, wheels and such is a must if you do any serious driving. 

Hopefully one day efi will get a bit cheaper.

[autodynamics]

So the point sounds like price is dictating efi or not
Take cost out of the equation would you take better braking handling and constant starts
Answer is yes
Old is nice but if I told you let's take a 3 hour drive with your family is the charger ever concidered?
It would never cause it lacks todays basics

Eventually efi will affordable and the standard will change
It's just a natural progression on what's to come

[FlatbackFanatic]

My 440 auto, with 2.94 gears, I get between 12-14 mpg.  It runs 2000 rpm at 60 mph. ( the 440 has around 123,000 miles on it)

[404NOTFOUND]

As years go by the carb will be phased out. Cool yes period correct yes, however we all realize 10mpg is not good
Drum brakes and stopping like crap .....not good
Quite frankly after driving today's car fuel injection, power everything, mpg, and so on we expect more from these old cars.
Resto mod is here to stay the older guys will pass what will be left are people who don't remember carbs, and we're born around fuel injection and conviences, that's why a old car that has fuel economy ,power, brake and handling will be worth more and driven more than a car that can only be driven locally and smells like raw fuel...

My defenition of a carb........is a controlled drip of fuel ,pretty ancient

EFI? Not for me thanks. At some point it ceases to become a classic car. I don't want my Charger to start like my Mercedes. Part of the fun is cranking that Chrysler starter while skillfully pumping the gas just right and then keeping it running as well as tuning it for constantly better results.

[autodynamics]

To each his own
See you at the gas pump

[Dino]

So the point sounds like price is dictating efi or not
Take cost out of the equation would you take better braking handling and constant starts
Answer is yes
Old is nice but if I told you let's take a 3 hour drive with your family is the charger ever concidered?
It would never cause it lacks todays basics

Eventually efi will affordable and the standard will change
It's just a natural progression on what's to come

I took the charger on a 4 hour highway trip two weeks ago and I would drive it pretty much anywhere.  Yes I would take better braking and handling but as it sits there's no issues with either of them.  Not to say it can't get better because it will once I bolt my new parts on but it's really not bad.  Maybe because everything under the car came out of a squad car.  The only thing right now I have a problem with is the overassisted steering.  At high speed I'm really wishing for a more modern feel.  Oh and the 205 tires on 14" rims have got to go, I need more traction.

To me cost is the only reason I don't have efi and I have no problem aditting that.  404NOTFOUND I totally get what you're saying and if I would take the car out for the occasional Sunday cruise then I wouldn't want anything else but I put a lot of miles on this car and to be honest I really don't care for having to feather the gas and try to keep it running every morning while I wake up the neighbors.

Part of the fun of having a classic car is having all those quircks, but once you start putting real miles on it it can become a nuisance.  I try to find middle ground and I try to keep as much original as I can but I will never put it above safety and up to a point comfort.  I need real shoulder belts and a cup holder!  

[404NOTFOUND]

I hear ya too Dino. One modern concession I did make was to install an MSD box and coil with top of the line ignition wires. This way, the car is still standard configuration with stunning reliability while still running a carb. The way it starts now is amazing, even cold.

[Dino]

I hear ya too Dino. One modern concession I did make was to install an MSD box and coil with top of the line ignition wires. This way, the car is still standard configuration with stunning reliability while still running a carb. The way it starts now is amazing, even cold.

I have the same setup.  The car does start up right away every time no matter how frosty, it's hot starting that's an issue as the fuel boils out of the carb while I'm filling up.  (I wonder if my mpg will get better because it stinks like raw fuel all the damn time).  The new valley pan should fix that though and I'm hoping the TQ once setup will run better.  It should at least run cooler with the phenolic body.  Don't think I have room for a spacer.

[404NOTFOUND]

I wouldn't say the MSD has helped my mileage that much. Power and reliability yes. I also have the raw fuel smell problem. That's what I'm trying to solve now. I think my mixture screws on my Holley are actually backing out on their own.

[elanmars]

As years go by the carb will be phased out. Cool yes period correct yes, however we all realize 10mpg is not good
Drum brakes and stopping like crap .....not good
Quite frankly after driving today's car fuel injection, power everything, mpg, and so on we expect more from these old cars.
Resto mod is here to stay the older guys will pass what will be left are people who don't remember carbs, and we're born around fuel injection and conviences, that's why a old car that has fuel economy ,power, brake and handling will be worth more and driven more than a car that can only be driven locally and smells like raw fuel...

My defenition of a carb........is a controlled drip of fuel ,pretty ancient

I'm a big fan of the resto mods and that's the direction I'm going in...unfortunately I don't have the funds to go all out and do it at once but little by little...

[Bob T]

So the point sounds like price is dictating efi or not
Take cost out of the equation would you take better braking handling and constant starts
Answer is yes
Old is nice but if I told you let's take a 3 hour drive with your family is the charger ever concidered?
It would never cause it lacks todays basics

Eventually efi will affordable and the standard will change
It's just a natural progression on what's to come

I'd definetely consider one of this a bit further down the track,
http://www.efisupply.com/images/fast/30447.jpg

but its not a priority at the moment.
Lets hear it if anyone's fitted one to their car and results . List price is $2099 USD, in terms of what it can do for the spend, I think its worth it..
Cheers Bob

[cowboy4x4n]

yeah dino my 318 doesnt perform too bad. its tune is perfect and hauls butt after 40.  0-40 is a diff story.  and it has more than enough for passing power.  its no big block and is lacking that torque and hp but still fun and I still smile every time i drive him.

[Stretch]

My stock 340/727/3:55 with the stock t-quad headers and 295/50/15 gets about 14mpg. Thats turning 3400 RPM's at 65 MPH.
The car is a '73 charger rallye.