1978 NYB Road Trip and Fuel Mileage Test

[1978 NYB]

After installing the Edelbrock intake, carb, duals from the manifolds back with Flowmaster 40's I took a road trip around the Chesapeake Bay which took me through Ocean City, Maryland, Rehobeth and Dewey Beach, Delaware and the Bay Bridge. I topped off before I left, drove 311 miles, averaging about 60-65 mph. Please remember that I have a 400 cu in motor and a 8.25 axle with 2.71's. It was a beautiful ride, 91 degrees, all windows down (A/C doesn't work yet). I topped off when I got home. 19.958 gallons which resulted in 15.58 mpg. That is pretty accurate, I topped off exactly to the same level both times and tripled checked my numbers. I'm quite happy with the results. I posted a few pictures.

 

[polara71]

A few things.............

Thats great

3:55's would put that number in hole.

Turn the front wheels next time your looking for that last shot that didnt happen :annoying_dancer:

How'd you get on the beach?

 

[1978 NYB]

A few things.............

Thats great

3:55's would put that number in hole.

Turn the front wheels next time your looking for that last shot that didnt happen :annoying_dancer:

How'd you get on the beach?

Ya, 3.55's would take her back to 10.5 mpg.

I didn't realize the front tire position until I reviewed the pictures at home.

Delaware surf fishing area... I could of drove all the way to the water but the sand was kind of loose. I could just imagine explaining to the DNR officer how I got a 5000 lb Formal NY'er stuck in the sand. I might of told him that I was thinking about going sailing.

 

[polara71]

In Jersey you need a permit on a 4 wheel drive vehicle

 

[1978 NYB]

Delaware has a few area's for surf fishing that has a drop box with envelopes. Daily $4 in state, $8 out of state. Or you can buy annual permits. They had 4 air hoses next to where I was parked. Maryland ocean access requires 4 wheel drive, shovel, 2"x6" or bigger boards, lowered air pressure in tires.

 

[70NPORT]

After installing the Edelbrock intake, carb, duals from the manifolds back with Flowmaster 40's I took a road trip around the Chesapeake Bay which took me through Ocean City, Maryland, Rehobeth and Dewey Beach, Delaware and the Bay Bridge. I topped off before I left, drove 311 miles, averaging about 60-65 mph. Please remember that I have a 400 cu in motor and a 8.25 axle with 2.71's. It was a beautiful ride, 91 degrees, all windows down (A/C doesn't work yet). I topped off when I got home. 19.958 gallons which resulted in 15.58 mpg. That is pretty accurate, I topped off exactly to the same level both times and tripled checked my numbers. I'm quite happy with the results. I posted a few pictures.

View attachment 2363

View attachment 2364

View attachment 2365

View attachment 2366

Whoa, first time seeing a pic of your car close up, very nice....I like that side profile....sleek.

 

[1978 NYB]

Whoa, first time seeing a pic of your car close up, very nice....I like that side profile....sleek.

It's a 10' foot car. Looks great from 10 feet. It has some rust in the usual places. It has 45,000 miles, 41,000 when I got her. The car probably sat outside it's entire life. Leather is dried out, cracked, seams coming apart and has to be replaced. All of the door panels and the dash pad have to be replaced. All of the door and window seals are shot. Steering wheel cracked in at least 5 or more places. It'll just take time and money to get her back together.

 

[polara71]

It's a 10' foot car. Looks great from 10 feet. It has some rust in the usual places. It has 45,000 miles, 41,000 when I got her. The car probably sat outside it's entire life. Leather is dried out, cracked, seams coming apart and has to be replaced. All of the door panels and the dash pad have to be replaced. All of the door and window seals are shot. Steering wheel cracked in at least 5 or more places. It'll just take time and money to get her back together.

The perfect cruiser!!

 

[70NPORT]

It's a 10' foot car. Looks great from 10 feet. It has some rust in the usual places. It has 45,000 miles, 41,000 when I got her. The car probably sat outside it's entire life. Leather is dried out, cracked, seams coming apart and has to be replaced. All of the door panels and the dash pad have to be replaced. All of the door and window seals are shot. Steering wheel cracked in at least 5 or more places. It'll just take time and money to get her back together.

Doesn't sound any worse than my Newport.

 

[1978 NYB]

I'm happy with my NY'er. The cosmetic stuff will just take some time. I have a friend near Chicago that has the door panels, dash pad, and a lot of other pieces that he has on hold for me. Thanks Mike!

 

[commando1]

I recently took a pass on a '78 New Yorker Salon (my favorist of the favorist) that is arguably the finest one in existence. After long and agonizing thought I knew I would never get to enjoy the car. Can't see the joy in owning a car where you're afraid to drive it.
Enjoy your 'driver'!!!
I would never want to own a #1 car. Too much pressure.

 

[polara71]

Stans correct. My 70 convertible is no where near perfect, but being mostly original and with so few ( 842) made I struggle to keep it original in appearance. There are so many mods I would love to do but I feel an obligation to the car that much of the fun is lost. A nice problem to have but still a problem, in my own head anyway.

In contrast my 71 is also mostly original and I have no problem tearing it up and the production number on that is 2024.

My brown 71 was the best cruiser, loud, rusty, after market radio, and scratches and faded paint abound. I loved driving that car.......everywhere!

 

[70NPORT]

Most of my cars have been #3 or #4 condition I'd say, but I've enjoyed all of them equally just the same. Nothing is more fun then drivers, plus all the comments you get. I had an old lady tell me her life's story in a grocery store parking lot because she owned a 70' when they were brand new.

 

[1978 NYB]

Hey guys, don't get me wrong. I knew when I bought the car that it would never be a #1 car. I just wanted a cruiser. The car sat for many years (outside) and almost every electrical and mechanical system didn't work or didn't work right. I had to fix all of the safety stuff first. Brakes, steering, lights, etc. All of the electrical motors were seized up, blower motor, all 4 window motors, headlight door motor, etc. Then driveability ws next, duals and flowmasters, the complete eddie induction system, which eliminated most of the emission stuff resulting in 15.58 mpg that I reported. Which I'm tickled to death about. I have driven 4,000 miles in the last year, wiper cam problem being the only driving restriction on rainy days. I'll fix the cosmetic problems one step at a time. The bottom line is that I'm very happy driving my cruiser.

:icon_mrgreen:

 

[70NPORT]

Hey guys, don't get me wrong. I knew when I bought the car that it would never be a #1 car. I just wanted a cruiser. The car sat for many years (outside) and almost every electrical and mechanical system didn't work or didn't work right. I had to fix all of the safety stuff first. Brakes, steering, lights, etc. All of the electrical motors were seized up, blower motor, all 4 window motors, headlight door motor, etc. Then driveability ws next, duals and flowmasters, the complete eddie induction system, which eliminated most of the emission stuff resulting in 15.58 mpg that I reported. Which I'm tickled to death about. I have driven 4,000 miles in the last year, wiper cam problem being the only driving restriction on rainy days. I'll fix the cosmetic problems one step at a time. The bottom line is that I'm very happy driving my cruiser.

:icon_mrgreen:

15.58 mpg !? That's great for a car that size, and a big block WITH a 4bbl carb at that. I'm getting less than that, probably under 10 mi pg or less. A quick ride from where I live to Haddonfield NJ (round trip) will burn just a bit more than a 1/4 tank of fuel for me and it is only a 23 or 24 mile ride one way. I think that is terrible and I could do better than that with my 383. I have same intake and carb your running.

What's your secrete?

 

[1978 NYB]

15.58 mpg !? That's great for a car that size, and a big block WITH a 4bbl carb at that. I'm getting less than that, probably under 10 mi pg or less. A quick ride from where I live to Haddonfield NJ (round trip) will burn just a bit more than a 1/4 tank of fuel for me and it is only a 23 or 24 mile ride one way. I think that is terrible and I could do better than that with my 383. I have same intake and carb your running.



What's your secrete?

Well, it was getting 10.5 mpg. Lean burn replaced with standard mopar electronic ignition. I put the duals with flowmasters 40's, no cat. Installed the eddie intake & carb, eliminated the rest of the emissions. 8.25 axle with 2.71's. My engine has 8.2 compression. Stock cam 260-268. Never kicked down the secondaries, 60-65 mph average on road test. 311 miles, used 19.958 gallons = 15.58 mpg.

 

[70NPORT]

Well, it was getting 10.5 mpg. Lean burn replaced with standard mopar electronic ignition. I put the duals with flowmasters 40's, no cat. Installed the eddie intake & carb, eliminated the rest of the emissions. 8.25 axle with 2.71's. My engine has 8.2 compression. Stock cam 260-268. Never kicked down the secondaries, 60-65 mph average on road test. 311 miles, used 19.958 gallons = 15.58 mpg.

Aaaaah, that's where it's at, I should have realized. I'm not running the sleepy, stock camshaft......tossed it when I had the head work done, Duh. Maybe I can get better gas mileage by playing with the secondaries open up.

 

[1978 NYB]

If I had a performance cam in her, I'm sure the secondaries would be open a lot more.

ccasion14:

 

[70NPORT]

yeah, everything costs something - in this case performance costs gas. Still I think I should be able to squeeze a little bit more mpg out of her.....need to work on that especially when I saw 4 dollar a gallon gas today, REG unleaded!

 

[1978 NYB]

I would start with the carb fuel/air adjustment. Maybe you are running a little rich. Do you have electric or manual choke. Sometimes the manual choke cable isn't adjusted properly. I set the cable so it is has an 1/8" gap between the dash and the base of the choke cable handle so I know the choke is completely open when the cable is pushed all the way in. What do you have engine timimg set at?