v6 T's???

[TheAntiBoyd]

I have an OHC 2.3L ford I was thinking of using (with an AOD behind it).

Id eather find that or a mercruizer 4cyl (Iron Duke variant) and put a TH 2004r or even a 3spd w/OD stick.
I had an Opel GT I wanted to put a Supercharged 3.8 (3800series II) in with a TH200-4r or T5.

I have a bum leg so I cant drive stick like I used to; probably have to be a slushbox.

Opel GTs had that lil weird 3spd auto the TH180, wonder if that woiuld live in a T-bucket

Theres always that weird lil hemi 4 toyota engine or even a turbo dodge 4cyl with a dakoka trans behind it and a Neon head...something like 240hp

Can you tell I love weird engines? I have a franklin aircooled 6cylinder from the 30s too (my great grand dad was an engineer for them, he also worked for franklin aircooled when they were doing "the Tucker Project) ...if I could adapt an automatic and had the fab skills to fit it in a T...It'd be conversational at least.

Anyway theres lots of sporty 4s, or the Buick 215/ Rover 3.5L V8s.
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT
(what about a GSXR 1300 engine....you'd need to figure out reverse...)

 

[Terry]

Hmmm. This gas mileage stuff has me a bit confused.

Back in the late 60's my father had a Charger Hemi. He got lousy gas mileage, but traveling from Sacramento to Fresno at an average speed of 120 probably had a lot to do with that. Yes, he managed to get quite a few tickets.

Anyway, one day he had to make the trip going about 55 mph because of very thick fog. He decided to do a mileage test on that trip and was very surprised to be getting 18 mpg at 55.

So I'm a bit confused. May he was wrong, but it would seem that if a full size Charger with a 426 Hemi could get 18 mpg, I would think that using that same engine in a T would produce some pretty good mileage figures.

But then again, maybe T's are quite driven in the same fashion.

 

[LumenAl]

Well, I think if you stay with mild cam, a single 4 BBL carb, and especially if you use a 700R4 OD transmission, you can get good mileage...

My high compression 327 with a tunnel ram, dual 4 BBL carbs, th350, 29 inch tall tires with 3.35 rear end gets 10 MPG, even if I drive nice...

 

[Photoman]

A 350 with EFI and an OD trans would have no problem getting 20 mpg (if not more) in a light T.

Unfortunately, that requires long pedal discipline. :welcome:

 

[jmr122848]

the 4.3 in my Sonoma(5sp) gets 19-21 around town and 24-27 on the road

 

[donsrods]

The 4.3 is a superb engine, basically a 350 with two cylinders lopped off. I came out of the marine industry and lots and lots of boats are powered by these engines. I owned two myself, and found them to be super cheap to operate. I sold one boat to my Son when I was done with it, and he always comments how he wishes he still had that one for the economy.

Obviously, matching it up with a 350 turbo or better yet an overdrive tranny and some high gears would make for some good milage numbers. I know you can get hop up and dress up stuff for the 4.3, and I think you can buy lakes type headers too for cars like T buckets.

As for power, they are gutsy little engines and in my boats I had all the HP I could use. I bought one boat with a blown engine in it and rebuilt one I got out of a wrecked S10. It was a roller cam/vortec version and never left me down.

Don

 

[Keeper]

I really wish I could see the mileage you all are with your 4.3 12.5mpg over 2 years.

They are pretty gutsy, grab one out of a 96+ s-10 with the 4l60e transmission and you are all set. Stay away from the 95's as everything about them is year specific and parts are 5 times as much.

Swap out the efi with an edelbrock intake/carb setup convert the 4l60 to vacuum operation.

 

[Francis Blake]

A friend of mine had a 92 s10 with a4.3 pulled a pop up camper across kansas he said 19mpg and he not prone to stretch the truth.I have a 4.3 that I put an Edelbrock intake on puting a 500cfm Edelbrock carb on hope to have this thing driveable soon. Will keep you up to speed (pun intended) on this project as it comes togeather :lol: ..Francis