We should create a medallion for the 500 mile club and issue a window sticker that can be permanently displayed to honor those who were so skillful.

 

I was just letting him know I had same car same results, but as to what you are speaking on, I always believed mileage is achieved by engine load, not so much size like you say. Such as the late 90s or so F150 v-8 vs v6. Pretty much got same mileage. On the other hand I was shocked when I first heard the later model corvettes with all that power is capable of 30+ mpg! Also a vette guy I know also said the mid 80 vettes with I believe 200 hp 350 at 55mph level ground only required 18 hp to maintain that speed. I forgot the other numbers, but want to say around 80 or 90hp to do 100 or so.

 

The Chevy wagon probably weighed close to 4,000 pounds, the GTO under 3,499. The Goat would cruise at 70 mph on the center carb all day long, giving 19 mpg, the wagon never more that 12. Neither was aero slick. But the point is maintain a light foot on the accelerator.

BTW, I like your icon/screen name. WW2 prop planes were all distortive ... the P51 Mustang, the P38 Lightening, etc.

 

Thank you, I flew RC for several years, it was my all time favorite, nothing handled like it, so smooth, especially landing. In the war it actually had close to the same kill to loss ratio as the mustang, 11 to 1 I think, anyway, the 51 and it were just in different theatres in the war, mustang got most of the fame.


Something I also seem to see in these extremely efficient little cars. They have eeked out so much here and there to get this efficiency til almost anything will send the mpg avg in decline, just a few minutes of city driving, wind, couple miles uphill. But still I am so amazed at the high numbers being put out of these cars.

 

The mechanic I have used in the past flew an F86 Saber Jet in international competition and was highly ranked. He crashed it after a long period of competition and never rebuilt it. He is one of the physically neatest mechanics I've ever met. Never dirty, greasy, or messy, but his work was top notch.

It is amazing how a little enthusiastic work can change the character of a mechanical device. The tuners changed the original Civics into something they weren't meant to be. Charles Lindberg changed the P38 Lightening from a slow lumbering fuel hog into a fast, long range fighter bomber escort.