Ranchero project
 

I figured I should start a new thread on this. I've got project decisions to make, and I'd like some feedback on how to achieve relatively high mpg. I'd like to do it with the car, not driving tricks. The "big ticket items" :rolleyes: are engine, weight, and aerodynamics- not necessarily in that order. In other words, a light car with a smaller engine and some aerodynamic improvements.

The base vehicle is a '61 Ford Ranchero, weighing in at ~2400 lb, not very aerodynamic, had ~85 hp stock. Option one would be to leave it intact and a goal of 40 mpg at 60 mph. Do you think it could be done with a small spark-ignition engine? How about a VW Rabbit diesel pickup engine swap?

Option two is to slice and dice the Ranchero into a single-seater, at about half the weight and frontal area. What kind of mpg do you think it might get with a 1600 cc (~100 ci) engine (Ford Pinto 1.6 L or Toyota "hemi" 2TC 4banger)?

Thanks

Don't butcher a classic, if you want to build a one seater, I would suggest you fabricate it, no need to ruin something to accomplish that.

1961 pre-dates the 1968 Emissions Laws, so is "grandfathered" I would assume, although California is making noises about that issue.

My choices (in descending order) would be:

1) small turbo diesel -- but do you want to buy diesel?
2) Toyota "hemi" -- strong engine, but not 100% economical
3) 1600 Pinto engine -- obsoleted years ago.

I appreciate that, but let me put it into perspective. I bought it for $75, plus a $25 tip for a boatload of help loading it onto the trailer (the car had no rear end). The Falcon Ranchero is not a rare car. I believe there are only 500 (maybe it was upped to 750) special construction vehicle registration permits in California per year, so I don't want to go that route. And, maybe in "ruining" it, it would turn out *****in.

I wouldn't hack it up unless it was really, really junky anyway. If you want a freak single seater then build it from scratch and save the 1500 lbs.

Pick any drivetrain that returns 40+ mpg stock and you should get pretty close. On a good day a Tempo/Topaz can just hit 40, but it doesn't AVERAGE that. You could go fwd and put a Metro drivetrain in- lots of them are rusted out.

Technically, CARB wants a 1976 and on engine in a pre-76 car to have all of the original smog equipment. I believe nobody is checking. I want to avoid any future hassles, though. My '61 Comet has an '88 turbo 2.3 L that runs on propane.

1) Yes, no, and maybe I want to run and buy diesel, or fryer oil.
2) Not economical as in fuel efficient?
3) Yeah, but I'm not wanting to go modern (EFI) at this point, and again the year of engine issue.

I'd probably put a cat on the exhaust, and might run propane for fuel to keep emissions down.

...oops, mia culpa, regarding the Toyota "Hemi" as I was mistakenly thinking about the Mitsubishi "Hemi" that Chrysler marketed for awhile...it's good for lots of RPM's and good for "rice-rocket" machines, but not very MPG-friendly.

...hence, specifically which model Toyota engine are you talking about?

I hear on the 'net that the Suzuki Samurai 5-speed transmission bolts to the Geo Metro 3banger.

2tc

The 2TC is a very stout engine from the early 1970's, and was a favorite with the racers because of its cross-flow hemi head design.

How radical or tame are you considering? High compression ratio would work fine with E85 and propane fuels. A turbocharger would allow you to effectively achieve variable-compression-ratio change via a waste-gate valve, so quite high CR could be used (11-12:1?).

The 1600 Kent engine was only used for two years (1971-1972) and then was replaced by the 2000 Cologne German engine and then the 2300 USA engine. If you were in Great Britian, it would be readily available in different sizes ranging from 1300 cc up to 1800 cc; but, here in USA, it quickly went obsolete when Formula Ford racing ended in the 1980's. Although it was resurrected again in the later Ford Fiesta (my dad had one!)