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Corvette Daily Driver
mjs:
--- Quote from: Popeye on January 24, 2017, 02:24:01 PM ---Any rough ideas on fuel consumption?, 200km/300km out of a tank?.
How bad could these cars be?. If its been restored well mechanically, shouldn't it be reliable to drive every day.
The way i am thinking is, if i have to drive a car everyday, i might as well drive something i want to drive and happy to learn about and fix. New cars and modified cars don't interest me, i like stock and original style.
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:cheers: Hey Popeye, glad to see your still lookin'
Ours has been partially restored up to point where we're happy with it. Its really reliable now but then again as the other guys said they're 40+ yr old cars so unless you replace almost everything something is going to go bust eventually, and we only use ours on Sunny days most weekends. Going a more modern motor is the best way to keep the fuel economy and increase power as Bfit said, but if you want original, ours if you can remember, is a 350 stock motor, pretty sure its been rebuilt at one stage so slightly more than 350, and after a few runs down to Ulladulla and back on a full tank with I'd say 10L remaining we managed 13.8L/100klm. Not bad, but we hardly used the secondaries on the quadrajet, (just a few times we might have :drag:) I've noticed if you cruise without too much heavy foot you don't get too bad economy, no where near like a C6 engine though. If your going to be heavy footed or go through a lot of stop start traffic that figure will decline.
Matt
Scott:
I have a Zd fairlane as a daily (similar weight, less aerodynamic than a 69 vette). 302W engine and a 3 speed auto. It uses 18L/100km pretty much all the time. Little difference for highway. It needs an overdrive.
If you want to daily an old car, put in a decent electronic dizzy (HEI or something) and a 5 speed. Also make sure you don't have a holley carb. They are great for all out power, but use more fuel and play up much more than the equivalent edlebrock carb. Also would probably be worthwhile getting an AFR meter to make sure you are running the right mixture at cruising speeds.
Traffic lights and stop start traffic is where you'll use your fuel.
StephenSLR:
--- Quote from: Scott on January 25, 2017, 08:47:04 AM ---If you want to daily an old car, put in a decent electronic dizzy (HEI or something) and a 5 speed. Also make sure you don't have a Holley carb. They are great for all out power, but use more fuel and play up much more than the equivalent edlebrock carb.
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.. a Rochester Quad will also be more economical than a Holley and put in a 5 speed if you're going to hit the highways
s
bfit:
--- Quote from: StephenSLR on January 25, 2017, 09:29:27 AM ---.. a Rochester Quad will also be more economical than a Holley and put in a 5 speed if you're going to hit the highways
s
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I have to agree a quadrajet in good condition and tunes correctly is a very good carbie for most preposes.
Before going the trany swap I would try a tall set of gears in the rear 2.75 I think is available.
low gear in the early c3 will cope with the high gearing
if you want good pick up say from the lights. Then you would go a 5 or 6 speed, and a lower gear.
some might say that spending severely thousand on a trans swap is hard to justify for a fuel saving.
you will only see a benefit if you do a lot of highway miles. with a overdrive box.
I have tried most rear gear ratios for 3.08 to 4.11, all have a benefit in some way and all have a negative.
its a matter of prevenance.
bfit
StephenSLR:
--- Quote from: Popeye on January 24, 2017, 08:07:36 PM ---Maybe that's why i don't see 1969 Corvettes used as daily drivers, it mustn't be very feasible.
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That's part of the reason but they weren't built here is the main reason, those that import are enthusiasts not people that want to get from A to B. Classic cars also have their cons, they don't handle or brake as good as modern cars, less safety features, no airbags, A/C, power steering, no boot, etc. You really have to be dedicated to even own one.
--- Quote from: Bfit on January 25, 2017, 11:39:51 AM ---some might say that spending several thousand on a trans swap is hard to justify for a fuel saving.
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Yeah, I'd agree, one car I bought had the swap already done, the other car had issues with a noisy 4 speed and mechanical linkages; after swapping it was a world of difference, smooth gear changes, etc. Considering I mainly use it for highway driving, it was well worth the swap imo and probably best done when you have the box out to change the clutch, etc.
s
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