Quote:
Originally Posted by taredog
Not too much. The sound of the Ram exhaust was much too mellow for me. I liked the sound of the '57 BelAire four door coupe that passed me earlier. Obviously an automatic, pretty stock with a staccato sound I remember from my youth. Like a cheap Thrush. The driver just cruising along, taking his time. My thoughts were, "it needs a Muncie M21 or a Borg-Warner T10. Then "maybe he want's to keep it fairly stock" Then "wonder if it's a powerglide or a turbohydro implant and a 265 or a 283 stock or an implanted 327/350/400.
That's the way my old gearhead mind works. Why I am no longer a gearhead???
Some of this likely belongs in the lounge.
I have come to the conclusion that no matter what I do short of very radical modifications, my Dakota will continue to get 16-18 MPG on my commute and in the 20's on highway trips.
Based on what you drive, some of you posts about "35 MPG pickups" and my perception of your overall cheapness, (not a bad thing, I too am "cheap" but cannot win all my battles at home) what do you think is the best course?
My Dakota is paid for. I drive less that 10K per year. Buying a less thirsty beater for commuting is not an option. Once in a blue moon I use the pickup or 4wd function of the truck. I think I should keep it and suck up the bad FE. What do you think?
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I like stock or well muffled vintage Chevys; my '59 has the factory stock 283 with stock manifolds and dual turbo mufflers exiting ahead of the rear wheels. There is something about those 283s, I don't know if it's the camming or what, but they're just plain quiet even if the exhaust is opened up somewhat. Not at all like a 350.
As far as that '59, in the past I considered this mod or that mod but in the end I drive it and enjoy it for the '50s car driving experience. So doing what "everybody" does i.e. disc brakes, new drivetrain, suspension, exhaust, stereo, etc. is NOT in the cards although I made the concession of running nice radial tires and gas-charged shocks. If I want to drive something that feels like a new car... I'll get in the new car!
But I do have a ratty parts '59; very little would be "lost" by modding that one.
Re: Dakotas (and Durangos too)- it never ceases to amaze me how awful their fe is- smaller trucks with full-sized truck appetites.
As you can see I'm beating your truck with a V8 4x4 F150 that pretty much only gets used for hauling/towing. Although there is someone on here getting better than average fe with his Dakota, I don't know the specifics.
Why is having an economical car for all the non-hauling jobs "not an option"? No parking? Old lady? What? My Tempos have been so cheap to own that not saving money and lots of it with them is an impossibility. And of course an integral part of my fleet are the bicycles/scooters/motorcycles which all save loads of fuel too. That truck sometimes sits for a loooong time.