$4 gas & your g-body

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

I want to build a fuel efficient hot rod, but I am not thinking G body here. I have 2 possible cars I would use: The Datsun PL510 or Austin Mini. Either one would need 150-200hp to be in the 14's, and would be great on gas due to their low mass. The Datsun weighs 2,000lbs and is RWD, the Mini is about 1200lbs and FWD. The BMW Mini is a bloated pig compared to the originals!

 

[megaladon6]

the newer hondas have put on alot of weight. safety equip. and emissions stuff. even the civics are around 3k. the fit is probably pretty light but it's also a matchbox car.

 

[Coveted]

. the fit is probably pretty light but it's also a matchbox car.

ROTFL
I think it looks like a rollerskate

 

[Geesie]

What do you all have against matchbox cars and rollerskates?

 

[Nightmare388]

Vern -

2 speeds are a bear on the 1/4 mile expecially sense I had it built for it and with the 3000 stall I'm running.
as far as gas mileage, Nope not worried at all I'm going to drive it every chance I get, We only live once, if gas is going to be a rip off let it.

Its really going to hurt when I'm driving my 496 with a blower on it (future plan)

9mpg is okay by me in the current build, Its an edelbrock 600 cfm square bore.
I HATE quadrajunks.
I wish I knew people actually like those carbs, I've thrown atleast 7 out.
We pulled them off so many different engines and democars and just tossed them.

I talked to my machinist (he gets me a discount if i order parts thru him even if im building it myself)
I've got either 11:1 or 11.5:1 pistons coming, and the biggest cam that will work for my set up.
I'll have all the specs when my parts come in.

I agree with you 100%! We only live once. Screw the gas prices. Gas is just like food no matter how high it goes we need it and we will pay whatever it costs to get it. Bitching about it isn't going to help. Life is to short. Get out and enjoy all of our G body cars and live instead of staying in the house and bitching about GWB and everything else that isn't going our way. We have to eat and we have to drive just a fact of life and they both are getting expensive so what ,we could be living in Europe and we would really be bitching about gas prices and not having cool cars like we have now to drive. We may have to budget more for gas but if you truly love your cars and want to drive then you have to support the gas habit. We have to pay to play.I'm not trying to cut anyone down by this next statement but I have a few people I know that if they would cut out the cigs and beer and party life and gambling they would have more than enough money for gas. I guess it is all about priorities. You have to ask yourself what comes first. For me its my family then bills then my car but I'm one of the few people I know in my area that doesn't like to party or drink and smoke or gamble. To some people these things are more important than paying for gas to enjoy their hobby. I'm not trying to say I'm better than anyone else I'm just trying to say I would rather spend more money enjoying my hobby than (TO ME) wasting money on the other things I mentioned. TO each his own but before we start bitching about everything maybe we just need to priorities things in our life.I think the gas prices are going to get a lot worse but I also think we really can't do much about it just like we can't do much about the price of milk or any other food. IT is what it is. Live with it and try to make the best of it.

 

[Coveted]

Man So weel said 😀
Just 😀

 

[Tony_SS]

My plans are still to find a good deal on an LSx setup and swap it into the Malibu. There are more and more turning up every day - even a little 4.8 would be fun, but it would probably have to be at least a 5.3. For the power and fuel effeciency to cost factor, I dont know why anyone would build a Gen I motor anymore. I think you could easily knock out 15-17mpg in a light 3200lb G-body. I was getting 17/26 in my 06 GTO M6 and it was a pig at 3700lbs!

 

[Coveted]

My plans are still to find a good deal on an LSx setup and swap it into the Malibu. There are more and more turning up every day - even a little 4.8 would be fun, but it would probably have to be at least a 5.3. For the power and fuel effeciency to cost factor, I dont know why anyone would build a Gen I motor anymore. I think you could easily knock out 15-17mpg in a light 3200lb G-body. I was getting 17/26 in my 06 GTO M6 and it was a pig at 3700lbs!

Cost.

i'll have probably $900 total into a freshly rebuild 11 or 11.5:1 375 - 400hp 350.
If It wasnt so cheap to do, I'd have an LSx aswell, it would be cool to go 11s with boltons haha.

 

[andrewmp6]

A datsun 510 2 door with a stick is 1800lbs but only 50 something hp i use to have one.Theres nothing wrong with a small car tell you get hit by something like a new pick up.What about the rwd ecotec the sky and solstice it could work in a g body just be slower then a prius up hill.Im happy with my 14mpg 71 mustang its fast big ugly and fully stock even with a big block its only 3400lbs.I can remember gas just under a dollar a gallon its always been going up in my life time and will keep going.If you really want to save money ride the city bus and have a car for a weekend toy.Only odd thing i see is i have a small car lot i sell more pick ups and suv now but im in redneck land so they love trucks.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Well, the Datsun would probably get a Nissan KA24DE 4 banger from a 240SX with a FS5W71 5 speed out of a mid 70's Z car, or a SR20DE or SR20DET from a JDM Nissan Silvia/180sx, with the 6 speed trans from a S15 Silvia preferred over the FS5W71C trans from the earlier S13 and S14 models. The Mini would get a Honda D16Z6 from a Civic EX, but with an MSD box driving the ignition, an RPM switch controlling the VTEC and a set of side draft carburetors off a motorcycle for fuel. Either that, or an ITB setup run by a Megasquirt EMS. As a matter of fact, the Nissan would have a similar setup as the Nissan ECU will not allow the car to drive with the VSS disconnected, and there is no easy way around that without using a BMW differential center section off a E30 3 series that has the VSS built in to the pumpkin. That requires custom half shafts, and is a big mess. The 510 also allows the use of the R160 diff center from a WRX or other Subaru, as Fuji Heavy Industries made the R160 for Datsun, and also has Subaru as part of it's holdings ( or did). I could also upgrade to a R180 or R200 from a Z car or a 240sx as well, and any of them is junkyard findable with a LSD, even if it is just a viscous unit.

Also, you don't want too small of an engine, as it will not provde you with good economy. The 355 in my car makes 3x as much HP and 2x as much torque as the engine it replaced, but it is better on gas than the old V6.