Gas mileage ?

[RossL]

How many miles per gallon do these cars get (stock 1955 292 automatic)? I haven't driven this car much and I was just wondering what to expect

[Rusty57]

Be prepared for a wide range of answers. I expect you will get answers that range from 12 mpg all the way up to 25 mpg (which I consider unbelievable).

A big factor is how you drive the car. Over the 2200 miles that we have driven our '57 (312 automatic) we get between 12 and 14. Most of our driving is in town at speeds under 50 mph. There is lots of stop and go with idling.

[RossL]

Be prepared for a wide range of answers. I expect you will get answers that range from 12 mpg all the way up to 25 mpg (which I consider unbelievable).

A big factor is how you drive the car. Over the 2200 miles that we have driven our '57 (312 automatic) we get between 12 and 14. Most of our driving is in town at speeds under 50 mph. There is lots of stop and go with idling.

My estimate (I've only driven the car 10 times) was 12. Really hard to tell because I've been working on the car a lot sometimes idling in the driveway while I'm testing things.

[Rusty57]

Yes, our overall mileage includes all the times that I have been letting car run to make carb and timing adjustments. Plus letting it warm up some before a short drive when the weather is clear during our Iowa winters. It tends to run pretty rich during those events.

I am fairly confident in our numbers. I keep a simple Excel worksheet to record the car mileage and amount whenever I fill the tank.

[ward 57]

I have always averaged about 8-9 MPG. I had a long block installed in the '70s as the original had freeze damage. The shop that did it ordered the engine from a factory authorized rebuilder and wonder if they put in a hotter than stock cam. It doesn't run rich and goes like a bat out of hell.

[ICON 1956]

My milage is between 12-14 mpg. When I had the 61 T Bird it was 7-10 mpg.

[55blacktie]

No car, regardless of age, is going to see max mpg by letting it idle or by frequent stop-in-go in-town driving. My truck (not a Y-block) mpg gets 8-9 mpg more on the highway with the cruise set at 65 (12 city/20-21 hwy).

[paul2748]

The last time I even checked I got 14 MPG on a 6300 mile trip. A lot of highway driving and a lot of non-highway driving. Stock 3.31 rear
On my 54 (312, 3.50 rear), on a 900 mile trip I got 17
I

[ICON 1956]

The milage on the 53 Customline with a flat eight with Henderson triple duals which gets 6-9 MPG OUCH !

[ward 57]

The milage on the 53 Customline with a flat eight with Henderson triple duals which gets 6-9 MPG OUCH !

LOL you did it to yourself. The last time I filled up with Washington's 'environmental tax' at $.50 /gallon cost me about $100 on non ethanol high octane.

[55blacktie]

Paul, those 3.31 gears behind a Fordomatic? Does your 54 have overdrive?

[Jimntempe]

in three years and 2700 miles my overall average is 13 mpg.

[klogsdonjr]

My gas gauge is not reliable, I know shocker. So knowing how many miles I've driven in the tank is really important (I've run out of gas by pushing the limit too much over 175 miles).

I'm automatic stock, except Holley 600 carb, elec distributor, after market AC and pusher fan.

So I use an app called Fuelio. It's an easy app that records odometer, gas price, and gallons. Each time during fill up i open the app and record and it gives me my MPG. Getting over 13 is a good fill-up. I've gotten anywhere between 10 and 16 MPG. 12-13 is norm.

I'm waiting on a wireless and solar dash device that will give me digital speed and trip meter so I can get clearer readings of both in addition to my phone. $50 from Walmart err China. Should come this week.

[DynoDan’55]

My ‘55 with OD initially got low 20s on the highway (orig distributor & rebuilt teapot). Now, mileage is way down (dist. mod/advance limiter, Pony teapot, high ratio rockers, etc.). Dont actually measure it anymore, just notice a tank full doesn’t go near as far.

[55blacktie]

Klogsdonjr, why do you have a 600 cfm carburetor on a stock engine? You might see better mileage from a carburetor with smaller primaries. MarkR recently replaced his 570 cfm Holley 4150 with a 390 cfm Holley 4160; so far, he's happy with the performance, and there's no more gas smell.

DynoDan, I know what "Teapot" carburetors are, but I'm not familiar with " Pony teapot." Did you mean "Puny"?