Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives po-boy's highboy.

Thanks, it's a lot funner when they run decent.

WOO BOY! That looks like fun!

got that new ford blue engine paint a little muddy.

12.4 MPG on this first tank since the engine work. mixed driving, probably 80% gravel with some mud pit playing, sand hill climbing, towing a small boat, and some forest road meandering.

I'm pretty happy with that. 35 year old 3/4 ton truck with 4.10 gears, 35" tires and a gas engine. I'm sure I'd see better with a tank of all paved running or on a trip, as if I'd purposely take off on a long trip with it....

(damn right I would)

12.4 - not to bad I barely get that with the 2011 dodge when I pull the boat and play a little. A long trip --- Colorado Elk Hunting?? LOL I miss Minnesota fishing....

Well, if my kidneys could take the ride, I was thinking maybe Wyoming for some speed goat hunting.

I know a feller, nice guy that's extended the invite several times now and it never works out for me.

Maybe that's too far...

12.4mpg isn't too shabby Dave. You coudln't really expect more than that out of a 3/4 ton truck.

I'd take 12.4 with my '78 F150. The best I've ever seen on non-ethanol fuel is 9mpg, steady highway @ 55mph. Most of the time it gets 7 or worse. It's a pig.
I think I need to pull the engine out this winter and make that 351 into a 400. That should help.

yes, more cubes should help....



My theory all along was direct drive (manual trans) + lower displacement would be MY ideal dentside F-series truck. (73-79)

The inline 300 would have been my first choice, 351 my second.

I've had so many people tell me I need to toss that 351 crank and get a 400 buckled in there.

I'm happy with the 351, I'd probably be happier yet with the 300.

If I knew you liked these trucks I'd try to find the 1978 F-150 4x4 that was nicely done resto, with a 300/4-speed.

Pam might fire bomb my house but I'll try to find it for you.

please dont......

Ok guys- find me a 4-speed setup; pedals, brackets and all. I've been told my C6 can swallow at least 40 hp. I'm guessing I can still use the rest of the running gear including the NP xfr case?
Wifey doesn't drive this truck anyway, and for the time being, it's retired to farm and lumberjack duty only- not licensed since I bought this place. It's time for some resto and modification. Maybe I ought to put a FI 5.0 or 5.8 in it with a 5 speed?

would be easier if you had divorced T-case.

but yes the c6 eats power plus it eats RPM's too.

Even at cruise speed, your net RPM after the C6 aint all that you would like it to be.

play around with this calculator, notice the data fields for Auto, AOD, manual and 5 speed.

Fill in your gear ratio, tire height and speed, hit solve and look at the variation in RPM based on trans.

http://www.ringpinion.com/Calculators/Calc_RPM.aspx

Nice work, Dave!

Thanks.

Mileage report:

12.5 mpg with my daily driving on this last tank.

I'm afraid it aint going to get much better than that. I'm going to try 2 more degrees advance in the timing but my gains would be so minimal I don't think I'll make 13 on my daily driving.

Choke starts out closed on each cold engine start up... I suppose I could pull off 13 on a long run without the start and stop.

It is what it is.

Just think of it in terms of operating cost vs. fuel efficiency. You could buy a more fuel efficient vehicle, but the cost of the new vehicle would never pay for the savings in fuel.

And you wouldn't feel like a badass cruising around town.

Do ya want good MPG's or a BAMF of a truck that is superior to all other trucks.

I dont feel too bad about it. 3/4 ton truck with 4.10 gears, 35" tires...

When I first bought the truck it was getting 8MPG.

4.5 mpg gain is pretty spiffy.

Yea i wouldn't sweat it. Last week the old man and i did some figuring. We have 05 dodge that we put more than $50,000 worth of fuel through.