"Eco-El-Camino"

[2000neon]

If you plan for gas mileage, 35 mpg should be easy! Even my 1970 with a 9.8:1 compression 355" motor and 3 speed automatic transmission has gotten 22, and that was even having some fun with it.

[Toe_cutter]

I had an 85 Monte SS when I was 18 that got 25mpg. All stock, HO305, 2004r and 3.73 gears with 235/60r15's. What about a small bore smallblock, 305 or 307, with good small combustion chamber heads, intake, a 4x4 truck/towing cam, and a Quadrajet, run it as lean as you can go without problems, Maybe you could find a dual snorkle air cleaner from a junkyard and run the snorkles down to the manifolds hor hot air. 2004r from a car, or manual. Small duals (2" or less) with an h pipe. Skinny& short 14's in the front, tall skinny 15's in the back. 30 doesnt seem unreasonable, I'm pulling 22 in a 3/4 ton truck with a 350 tbi/3.73's

[Frank Lee]

30 is quite a way from 22 and even 25. Pretty tough to do with the small block Chevy.

[Toe_cutter]

Lots of f-bodies get high 20's with 350's. I have put 350's in s10's for friends that consistently get mid 20's with 250-300hp. If I'm pulling 22 ( 20 lowest in the last year) in a 5300 pound truck, with hd trans and 14 bolt full floater rear end. A 3200lb? Elky with a 2004r, light duty overdrive, and 2.73's should do quite well.

[Toe_cutter]

Two things to really consider would be durability of the engine/transfer combo and cost/parts availability. 6.5 Chevy td. Bad cranks, bad injection pumps, overheating issues. And expensive. Ford diesel's....... Stay away from any except the 7.3, the 6.0 and 6.4 are only good for adding weight to your scrap metal pile. 6Bt and 4bt are fantastic engines but unless you have 6 or 7 grand forget it. Stay away from Chevy v6 for durability, ford too, except the sho engines and the 2v 4.0, and any Ford v6 transmission based on a c3. Ford 2.3 Lima is a good engine but almost as heavy as a v8. And short stroke/small cylinder displacement. So you will have to review the pants off it to move, no low end.

[JRMichler]

A Colorado/Canyon four cylinder with 5 speed has the power of a 60's small block Chevy. An El Camino has less frontal area and weighs less than a Colorado/Canyon. Drop that engine into an El Camino and you should be able to get better mileage than I'm getting in my Canyon.

[slownugly]

Gm ls based v8. Find a cheap junkyard 4.8 with a 4 speed auto or 5/6 speed. With a tune you could be up there easily. Conversion mounts and headers are getting cheaper and cheaper. If you do your own work it would be very cost effective

[Frank Lee]

Are there any gas v8s in the EM logs at 30+?

[Mustang Dave]

I found this Corvette. The fuel log is current and quite consistent.

[Frank Lee]

I've read before that the newer Vettes can hit 30 (but I kinda wonder at the point of owning a Vette if all it ever does is putter around)... any other vehicles? Any older small block Chevys even getting close? (No, 22 is not close. 25 isn't either.)