> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of jason pollock > Subject: [Chevelle-List] drivetrain opinions > > I am thinking about replacing the very tired 307/powerglide combo in my > 66 El Camino which I use as a daily driver.The car came with a base 6 > cylinder originally,so correct motor is not an option. > > I am currently getting about 9 mpg sitting on the 4 lane parking lots > known as freeways in Los Angeles.I would like to improve on that > considerably. I would like to cruise comfortably at 75 mph with some > power in reserve,to get me out of trouble when encountering the 40mph > fastlane brigade. I would also like for the engine to appear period > correct. I have no engine building experience but i am willing to learn > To further complicate the issue my budget can not exceed 2k (inc trans)
Jason, For reference, my '67 Chevelle has a mild 350 and T700R4 transmission. Around town I get about 10 mpg, and on the highway (2.73 gears!) I can get 22-24 mpg. The only way to get city mpg higher is to go with a smaller engine or maybe fuel injection. The only way to hit this budget is to do all the labor yourself or get really lucky with some junkyard parts. You can build a nice, mild 350 yourself for about a grand. Shop labor increases the price, and better parts (like cylinder heads) can blow the budget right away. To keep on the budget, I would recommend buying a junkyard Vortec 5.7l engine and adding a carburetor manifold and basic carburetor. You might be able to get this all for close to a thousand dollars. I don't know the price difference between T200 and T700 transmissions, but if one is cheaper that would be the way to go. Also, check to see if you need to shorten the driveshaft for a T200 because you must do so for the T700. Without the overdrive transmission, I doubt you can do much for your mileage. Check into new prices, and you will likely again go over budget. If you can get one from the junkyard for cheap, you an use it right away, but budget for a rebuild because you have no idea if it is ten miles or ten years from breaking. Mine lasted about 8 months... I guess the other choice would be to skip the engine completely and only upgrade the transmission. The 307 will still have decent power, and the overdrive transmission should help your highway mileage. You can look into the carburetor to see if it can be tuned or replaced to help your mileage as well. Brad Waller ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) '66 Corvette | 327/dead | 4-speed | Wilwood Brakes | 245/45/16 BFGs '67 Chevelle | ex-SS396 | 355/700R4 | '79 F-Body Brakes ----------------------------------------------------- To Unsubscribe please visit www.chevelles.net/list.html To start a new topic, send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
