[Phoenix'97]

Originally Posted by slowmover

A car that carries but two people, nearly no luggage, and can’t tow a trailer of reasonable size isn’t one on which to waste money.

After cutting unnecessary cold starts (using combined trips), and establishing new habits in maintaining, repairing and driving the vehicle, there won’t be much left in the way of savings.

Count the gallons.

If this is only about better FE with the same **** habits, it’s a real waste of time.

A muscle car is a family car with greater acceleration. That’s it, if one understands the history. Stoplight to stoplight. From there it grows branches.

But if there’s anything less practical than a pony car, we’d like to see it.

“Practical” is ones family. A man with a “car” that leaves them out is good for nothing.

Build a sedan, at least.

Second time: How many gallons saved annually after revision of habits, first?

What will be the percentage change to the annual average fuel bill, second?

It won’t be 50%, will it? Won’t offer savings significant to justify (income then dedicated to useful purposes).

Don’t reply, do the numbers.

Better handling and braking from a family sedan is a HP increase, as more becomes useable. Etc. Look down this path. A 9c1 Caprice. Police-spec. One of those branches from above.

A post 2003 Crown Vic. (Can easily hit 30-mpg Highway). Mercury Marauder gear.

If it’s “all about me” then disregard entirely.

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I am going to stress the fact that my goal is NOT to recoup the money spent on this car from gas savings! The goal is to improve upon a car designed in the mid-to-late 1980's that went into production during the mid-nineties with new technology and better parts that have since come to the market! A big improvement is ALL L.E.D. lighting in the car!

Currently my car is in an aged out state and I would like to have her refurbished to like new and with an engine and drivetrain tailored to the type of driving I do with the added emphasis of optimizing for fuel economy where possible!

Some of the advice I have been given on this site I will end up incorporating into the car while other ideas are too far out of the realm for my consideration. For all intents and purposes, this build is supposed to produce a street car that is something that you might expect to come out of the GM plant if they were making this car TODAY! So, extreme Aero-mods are out of the question, especially lowering the car for better aerodynamic effect when this will make the car extremely difficult to drive in the winter. An underbody cover may be considered but for the ease of maintenance I may decide to go without one.

Also, my car can seat two passengers in the back, so it is HARDLY a car that is inappropriate for the family, so long as we don't have more than three children.