57 mpg? That's so 20 years ago

[Camper]

Geo Metro was a suzuki
Some of the other Geo's were Isuzu or toyota
just like the ford escort was a mazda
Americans car makers didn't really make good compacts
ie Vega, Chevette,Pinto

You're right about the Metro. It was a suzuki. The Ford Escort, on the other hand was American/Union made(at least the ones made in the 80's and early 90's). Hence the reason it was sub-par in its class for reliability and mileage.

 

[Dakota]

You're right about the Metro. It was a suzuki. The Ford Escort, on the other hand was American/Union made(at least the ones made in the 80's and early 90's). Hence the reason they were sub-par in their class for reliability and mileage.

I guess I was mistaken about the Escort

 

[Jack_Berry]

Yes I would, and I average around 25 with my beetle and it is 41 years old with a carb
I don't go over 60 in it though!!!
I don't drive mine in the winter, although tthey are very good in the snow, too much salt on the roads

WELL, EXSUUUUUSE MEEEEEEEE. 25 mpg. 41 yo and a carb. no crash bumpers and limited smog gear(or did you fix that?). nice ride. would there be heat anyway? does it have the aux gas heater? worked with a college girl who owned a 1070 beetle and commuted to downtown chgo at 5pm for school from out by ohare. one trip with her father in january with no heat had her in a civic 2 dr within 48 hrs.

saw over the 4th a 1959 beetle. cherry on the outside and inside. slightly modified suspension to handle the 2.3 l 200 hp engine in back.

 

[Dakota]

Eventually I will have mine restored(I'll probably have over 10 grand it in when all is said and done) and actually the heat works well, but I still won't drive it in the snow due to salt!!!
I also have a '68 Volkswagen Squareback, which is more comfortable and will cruise at 75MPH(It needs work though)
If it wasn't for the salt and also lack of AC in the summer they would be my year round cars

 

[layoutshooter]

My '66 Pontiac Tempest had a 230HP overhead cam straight 6. Much larger than many of today's car. No cruise. It did have A/C. If I kept the speed about 60MPH it got 32MPG.

Today's fuel, with corn gas in it, has fewer BTU's per gallon. It gets less MPG than better fuels do. Diesel is better than gas but we all know that already.

 

[Dakota]

My '66 Pontiac Tempest had a 230HP overhead cam straight 6. Much larger than many of today's car. No cruise. It did have A/C. If I kept the speed about 60MPH it got 32MPG.

Today's fuel, with corn gas in it, has fewer BTU's per gallon. It gets less MPG than better fuels do. Diesel is better than gas but we all know that already.

The Slant 6 Plymouth Valiants would get 25 MPG, they were considered a compact economy car in the 60's LOL
VW's didn't really get good mileage if you compare them to the newer cars but back then when cars were getting 8 to 10 mpg, I guess 25 wasn't too shabby.

 

[Dakota]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.ne...3865380/n1353865380_30366585_7780765.jpg?dl=1

car I just sold

Square
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...14174058582.2019115.1353865380&type=1&theater

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...14174058582.2019115.1353865380&type=1&theater

 

[layoutshooter]

The Slant 6 Plymouth Valiants would get 25 MPG, they were considered a compact economy car in the 60's LOL
VW's didn't really get good mileage if you compare them to the newer cars but back then when cars were getting 8 to 10 mpg, I guess 25 wasn't too shabby.

I had one of those too. I can't say how it did mileage wise, it was a wreck when I got it. Push button auto.

 

[Camper]

The Slant 6 Plymouth Valiants would get 25 MPG, they were considered a compact economy car in the 60's LOL

That Slant 6 was one bullet proof engine..Ironically, the mileage was comparable to what some of today's compacts get but with more horsepower.



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[purgoose10]

Remembering back to the early sixties. School projects in the auto shop. A buddy of mine did a project over the summer for extra credit. 1964 cougar convertable w/ V-8. Over the summer he pulled the engine and installed a Perkins Diesel engine. Put a 4 spd tranny behind that and a 2 spd splitter behind that. It was not that bad with the 2 sticks because in city was the low side and hwy was the high side. Rattled, sounded like the bottom was coming out. Fuel was 18 cents a gallon. Yes you heard it right 18 cents a gallon and he got 80 mpg with it on the hwy. That was a cool car. Wish I had it now.

 

[scottm4211]

Remembering back to the early sixties. School projects in the auto shop. A buddy of mine did a project over the summer for extra credit. 1964 cougar convertable w/ V-8. Over the summer he pulled the engine and installed a Perkins Diesel engine. Put a 4 spd tranny behind that and a 2 spd splitter behind that. It was not that bad with the 2 sticks because in city was the low side and hwy was the high side. Rattled, sounded like the bottom was coming out. Fuel was 18 cents a gallon. Yes you heard it right 18 cents a gallon and he got 80 mpg with it on the hwy. That was a cool car. Wish I had it now.

That guys a genius.

 

[Dakota]

That Slant 6 was one bullet proof engine..Ironically, the mileage was comparable to what some of today's compacts get but with more horsepower.



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Yeah, the slant 6 (actually most inline 6's) are very good long lasting engines. I am sure the engine oulasted the cars in many occasions

 

[purgoose10]

That guys a genius.

I forgot to ad he was 16 yrs old when he built it.

 

[greg334]

Um.... 1964 cougar? You should check this ...

I'm not aware of a single union-made "compact" that did as well, mileage or reliability wise as their foreign counterparts.

How about the 1978 to 1984 VW Rabbit Diesel, built in New Stanton PA. It got 50 to 55 MPG and wasn't a bad car. I could go from my house to Charleston SC (856 miles) on two tanks of fuel.

The honda in question didn't get anywhere near 57, it was lucky to get 40 to 45. My family had two of them, one new off the showroom floor.

Slant 6 was dropped because it could not meet emission standards regardless what they did and Chrysler wanted to go to a standard engine platform with a v6. My dart and duster both got 15 to 16 with their little slants but I never got over 18.

 

[Dakota]

Slant 6 was dropped because it could not meet emission standards regardless what they did and Chrysler wanted to go to a standard engine platform with a v6. My dart and duster both got 15 to 16 with their little slants but I never got over 18.

Just because YOU got 18 doesn't mean you couldn't get 25, they actually advertised the highway mileage at 25 for those cars.
And if you hypermiled a Honda CRX HF you could get in the high 50's on the highway going 45mph not that that would happen often, but those cars did get amazing mileage going normal speeds
due to the low rolling resistance tires and the super high final gear.

 

[Jack_Berry]

Remembering back to the early sixties. School projects in the auto shop. A buddy of mine did a project over the summer for extra credit. 1964 cougar convertable w/ V-8. Over the summer he pulled the engine and installed a Perkins Diesel engine. Put a 4 spd tranny behind that and a 2 spd splitter behind that. It was not that bad with the 2 sticks because in city was the low side and hwy was the high side. Rattled, sounded like the bottom was coming out. Fuel was 18 cents a gallon. Yes you heard it right 18 cents a gallon and he got 80 mpg with it on the hwy. That was a cool car. Wish I had it now.

The convertible came in 1969.
I am sure age and memory get fuzzy but the cougar started in 1967. Did you repeat a couple times?

 

[purgoose10]

The convertible came in 1969.
I am sure age and memory get fuzzy but the cougar started in 1967. Did you repeat a couple times?

Well I was flying combat missions in VN in 67 so I know it wasn't a 69. I thought that was the year, but like you say fuzzy, a long time ago. I do remember the 4 cylinder Perkins though.
I graduated in 64, I'll have to think about it. Oh well the fuzzy part is right.

 

[purgoose10]

Must have something to do with age. I'll need a GPS to find the house pretty soon.

It was a 63 Ford Falcon. I just found a picture of it. Don't know where I got Cougar from.

 

[Dakota]

Must have something to do with age. I'll need a GPS to find the house pretty soon.

It was a 63 Ford Falcon. I just found a picture of it. Don't know where I got Cougar from.

Cougar/falcon at least they are the same family of cars Ford/mercury lol

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[Camper]

Um.... 1964 cougar? You should check this ...

I'm not aware of a single union-made "compact" that did as well, mileage or reliability wise as their foreign counterparts.

How about the 1978 to 1984 VW Rabbit Diesel, built in New Stanton PA. It got 50 to 55 MPG and wasn't a bad car. I could go from my house to Charleston SC (856 miles) on two tanks of fuel.

I'm not aware of a single VW factory in the US that's unionized. Maybe this Scranton factory is/was some fluke exception.

The honda in question didn't get anywhere near 57, it was lucky to get 40 to 45. My family had two of them, one new off the showroom floor.

According to the link below,they got close to it but the updated(more realistic figures) indicate 51MPG highway, 46MPG, combined. I did think 57MPG was unlikely but still, it was a far site better on mileage than its newer counterparts.

Compare Old and New MPG Estimates

Slant 6 was dropped because it could not meet emission standards regardless what they did and Chrysler wanted to go to a standard engine platform with a v6. My dart and duster both got 15 to 16 with their little slants but I never got over 18.

Yep, another great product chased away by nanny state regulations.