Daily Driver/Muscle Car - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

TheClarkster · 09-08-2004, 11:55 PM

I'm currently looking for a 60s-70s muscle car to buy. I'm in love with pretty much anything Ford, but whatever I can afford would be considered.
Question is, what kind of mileage will I be looking at for something of this era?
I commute about 30 miles a day to school and back, and am also a driver for Pizza Hut which adds another 120 miles a week.

Would I be getting like, less than 10 mpg?
Anybody have an idea of mileage on these cars or where I can find out?

stingc · 09-09-2004, 01:49 AM

If you have a small block with the carb properly tuned, then you might get 20-25 mpg on the highway. It depends a lot on gearing, which varies from car to car.

Around town, I wouldn't expect much better than 10 mpg, but not less either. Be aware that the better engines tend to require premium gas.

bodypainter · 09-09-2004, 01:51 AM

I've driven several muscle cars as daily drivers - it's just been a long time since I did so.

I've had small block late 60's Mustangs and got 18 mpg average which I consider pretty good for a late 60's/early 70's car. On the other hand my '70 Olds 442 big block never broke 12 mpg no matter how hard I tried. There was pretty much nothing from those days that would crack 20 mpg and still have horsepower.

Your 30 mile commute will probably be okay as these cars do a lot better on the highway at a constant speed. Your 120 miles delivering pizza is gonna kill you though.

Lockjaw · 09-09-2004, 03:00 AM

Do you want a Muscle car (i.e. a Hemi Cuda,Boss 302 Mustang etc...) or just a car from the 60s and the 70s without the massive engine? If it's the later you'd be surprised at what you could afford. In fact a 66-67 Mustang would probably run you like 8k for a fairly clean specimen. It would likely be a V6 it wouldn't be fast at all but you would at least have the car and engine,suspension, etc...can be upgraded later.

Scorps · 09-09-2004, 09:13 AM

Best bet would be going for a 80's Old's Cutlass or a 70's-80's Camaro with a 350 chevy with the carb is tuned right you can get some good mpg(don't know exact numbers)

theguyondacouch · 09-09-2004, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lockjaw

Be a V6 it wouldn't be fast at all

It would be an inline 6, and they can be plenty fast!

I'll find the link in a minute

hirosada · 09-09-2004, 12:23 PM

The driver bit of your question is what worries me. Go with a little import beater like an early 90's Protege or even Metro for work. You should be able to find one of those for $800ish. Then pick what ever muscle car you'd like to have as the "fun car." Seriously you'd wind up wearing out the muscle car doing deliveries.

powerclown · 09-09-2004, 01:25 PM

Whats the budget?
Offhand, I'd say check out a Mustang with a V6 if you're concerned with gas mileage. Beware of rust, and bring along a good mechanic if your gonna shell out big bucks.

~70,000 miles would be the low-end I would think.

merkerguitars · 09-09-2004, 05:13 PM

Yeah do what I do...have a good car for gas mileage/everyday driving...and have the fun car....

mighty mouse · 09-09-2004, 05:46 PM

2 cars buddy, its the only way to fly.

My 383 powered 68 NovaSS knocks down 18mpg in town with 3.31 gears and a non-OD 4 speed. Even moves out pretty well too, 12.6@110 on street tires is my best. I had a '73 350 in the car before the 383. It was tired but not dead, could never get more than 14mpg out of it though. My 68 Nova w/ a 402BB barely gets 10mpg consistently and only runs high 15's(guessing). My cousin has a 66 Mustang 6 banger that averages 24mpg in town, another 66 289 Mustang that gets 20 in town. I built a 72 Nova for my g/f with a nearly stock 350 in it that is getting about 15mpg in town with a TH350 and 3.08 rear gear. Its probably the best of them for daily driving, its fast enough to be fun, will do a decent burnout, and looks and sounds the part.

All can be driven everyday, but its a lot of upkeep. Crazy work to keep them all up for those number of miles. The calipers for my 68 SS are $500 a pop, so you don't want to be driving it a million miles delivering pizzas. I drive an '86 Olds Cutlass everyday, bought for $1800(the engine for the SS cost $3200) in great shape with only 72,000 miles on it. It gets 20mpg and never complains about sitting in traffic or going to the grocery store instead of the track. Not a lot better mileage than the older cars, but it uses 87 octane instead of 92 like the SS. Buying a newer good mileage beater and an old classic makes a lot of sense.

TheClarkster · 09-09-2004, 05:50 PM

Right now I'm driving a 1997 Tacoma for work and school. Good enough mileage and I'm sure it'll last me forever. Maybe just drive that on deliveries for a couple more years and hopefully by the time my brother gets the truck I won't need to use my fun car for deliveries.

As for wanting either a muscle car, or just a beautiful old American car...
There's no way I could afford a Cuda or the like. I've been looking at anything with 289s - 351s. The budget I'll have will probably be ~$10k or so if I can manage not to spend too much on anything else between now and then.

So, anyone have a suggestion as to a car that fits that? Oh, and a convertible would make the deal even sweeter, but I'm having a hard time finding less expensive convertibles.

bodypainter · 09-10-2004, 12:44 PM

Clarkster - since you like Fords and are looking for muscle convertibles under 10K, let me suggest you look for a pre-1971 Mercury Cougar convertible (sorry the 71-73 Cougars are so bloated and ugly I just can't recommend them). Mustang convertibles are getting really hard to find for your price range but the Cougars are much more reasonable.

TheClarkster · 09-10-2004, 02:39 PM

Those are nice, I saw a 67 Cougar go for like 1400. It was in good condition, but the ad only ran for like a day before someone bought it.
Gotta react faster I guess.

DDDDave · 09-10-2004, 03:10 PM

Good call BP, Here's a nice one...

here it is....
http://adcache.collectorcartraderonl...7/75119357.htm

merkerguitars · 09-10-2004, 04:14 PM

Or look for a mercury cyclone...i can't remember which years look the best but those are really nice cars.

MSD · 09-10-2004, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merkerguitars

Or look for a mercury cyclone...i can't remember which years look the best but those are really nice cars.

/me pulls out Standard Guide to American Muscle CarsA Supercar Sourcebook 1960-2000

My analysis (not quoting anything):

You will want to begin your search in the model year 1968. For this model year, Mercury completely redesigned the car, and it was no longer a trim line of the Comet. It was a full-sized car, bearing a notable resemblance to the Cougar.

The GT model was a fastback body style, quite similar to that of the Shelby GT-500. Two pairs of round headlights were set into a blacked-out grille that stretched across the width of the car's front above the unovbtrusive chrome bumper. A handling package on the GT model brought stiffer springs, heavy shocks, and a variety of tuning changes designed to connect you more closely with the road.

The model year began with the top engine being the 390hp 427cid V8. Two months into the production year, Ford came to their senses and axed the 427 from the lineup, replacing it with the legendary 428 Cobra Jet with performance understated at 335hp, and enough torque to stick your ass to the vinyl seats with an improved 0-60 time of 6.2 seconds.

The 1969 model lineup dropped the poorly-selling notchback model and introduced the Cyclone CJ. Ford designers finished coming to their senses and offered a four-speed manual gearbox mated to the 428 Cobra Jet as stadard equipment.

Another model offered was the CG, with a 428cid V-6 that put out an estimated 435hp and earned the car a place in the slow end of the 13-second bracket.

In midyear, the Cyclone Spoiler II introduced a spoiler bolted to the trunk lid, and a 351 engine that was installed in every car produced, despite an announcement that the Cobra Jet would once again be available. 519 models of this car was produced for the sole purpose of making the race version eligible for NASCAR competition.

In 1970, the wheelbase grew an inch and the body by almost 7 inches. New body lines left the trunk lid somewhere between a notchback and fastback design. The standard engine was a 370-hp Ram air 429, and motorheads could drool over the few that were produced with the Boss 429.

The final year of the Cyclone was 1971, when the 429 Super Cobra Jet was available to further increase the performance and decrease the fuel economy to less than 10mpg.

stingc · 09-10-2004, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheClarkster

So, anyone have a suggestion as to a car that fits that? Oh, and a convertible would make the deal even sweeter, but I'm having a hard time finding less expensive convertibles.

I bought a 74 Corvette convertible in good shape for $6500 (with the hi perf. 350). It's hard to find someone so desperate to sell as the guy I found, but it can be done

.

TheClarkster · 09-11-2004, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDDDave

Good call BP, Here's a nice one...

here it is....
http://adcache.collectorcartraderonl...7/75119357.htm

That would be PERFECT, it even has the cool sequential blinkers. Only problem is I don't have quite that much money just yet...

bodypainter · 09-11-2004, 03:44 AM

My second car was a '68 Mercury Cyclone!

Along with my first real girlfriend! Check out those bellbottoms - groovy eh? (hey, it was 1973 - give me a break

)

They are becoming very difficult to find however and I don't think the Cyclone was made in a ragtop (could be wrong but if they were they're rare as rare can be now).

Cyclone and Torino GT's with desirable engines are no longer cheap by any means though.

If you want a bigger car, Ford made some 2 door Galaxy 500's with big block/4 speed configurations, convertibles even, that would haul ass down the highway too.

william · 09-11-2004, 04:21 PM

Cyclone and Torino parts go hand in hand; odds are against finding Cyclone parts. The Cyclone wasn't a soft-top option. Ford "muscle" cars are available (think '69 Mach I). Cougars were nice as well to stay in the "family".
As a daily driver, you can find a project car (depending on your budget) and build from there. As for the delivery business, find a different car.
As far as mileage goes, it depends on a lot of factors. Stock v. custom, et al. I owned a stock 70 Cyclone w/a 351C that could average 20 MPG/city. I had a friend w/a '70 GTO (custom) who averaged 2 gal/mile. I swear - he hit the pedal, and you could watch the needle fall.

TheClarkster · 09-12-2004, 12:41 PM

So basically no matter what I do, I should keep my truck for delivering and use my fun car for driving to school and back? That sounds easy enough.

merkerguitars · 09-12-2004, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheClarkster

So basically no matter what I do, I should keep my truck for delivering and use my fun car for driving to school and back? That sounds easy enough.

Thats what I would do...less wear and tear on the fun car....plus it's more fun taking a muscle car out for a spin on the weekends than driving it every day.

Scorps · 09-13-2004, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheClarkster

So basically no matter what I do, I should keep my truck for delivering and use my fun car for driving to school and back? That sounds easy enough.

Yes just make sure you got enough money to insure both vehicles. I made that mistake years ago...had to take the 2 door sport car off the road!

09-08-2004, 11:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
TheClarkster Very Proud of Ya Location: Simi Valley, CA	Daily Driver/Muscle Car I'm currently looking for a 60s-70s muscle car to buy. I'm in love with pretty much anything Ford, but whatever I can afford would be considered. Question is, what kind of mileage will I be looking at for something of this era? I commute about 30 miles a day to school and back, and am also a driver for Pizza Hut which adds another 120 miles a week. Would I be getting like, less than 10 mpg? Anybody have an idea of mileage on these cars or where I can find out? __________________ Do not speak Latin in front of the books.

09-09-2004, 01:25 PM	#8 (permalink)
powerclown Junkie Location: Detroit, MI	Whats the budget? Offhand, I'd say check out a Mustang with a V6 if you're concerned with gas mileage. Beware of rust, and bring along a good mechanic if your gonna shell out big bucks. ~70,000 miles would be the low-end I would think. Last edited by powerclown; 09-09-2004 at 01:29 PM..

09-09-2004, 05:13 PM	#9 (permalink)
merkerguitars Buffering......... Location: Wisconsin...	Yeah do what I do...have a good car for gas mileage/everyday driving...and have the fun car.... __________________ Donate now! Ask me How! Please use the search function it is your friend. Look at my mustang please feel free to comment! http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=26985

09-09-2004, 05:50 PM	#11 (permalink)
TheClarkster Very Proud of Ya Location: Simi Valley, CA	Right now I'm driving a 1997 Tacoma for work and school. Good enough mileage and I'm sure it'll last me forever. Maybe just drive that on deliveries for a couple more years and hopefully by the time my brother gets the truck I won't need to use my fun car for deliveries. As for wanting either a muscle car, or just a beautiful old American car... There's no way I could afford a Cuda or the like. I've been looking at anything with 289s - 351s. The budget I'll have will probably be ~$10k or so if I can manage not to spend too much on anything else between now and then. So, anyone have a suggestion as to a car that fits that? Oh, and a convertible would make the deal even sweeter, but I'm having a hard time finding less expensive convertibles. __________________ Do not speak Latin in front of the books.

09-10-2004, 02:39 PM	#13 (permalink)
TheClarkster Very Proud of Ya Location: Simi Valley, CA	Those are nice, I saw a 67 Cougar go for like 1400. It was in good condition, but the ad only ran for like a day before someone bought it. Gotta react faster I guess. __________________ Do not speak Latin in front of the books.

09-09-2004, 01:49 AM	#2 (permalink)
stingc Psycho Location: PA	If you have a small block with the carb properly tuned, then you might get 20-25 mpg on the highway. It depends a lot on gearing, which varies from car to car. Around town, I wouldn't expect much better than 10 mpg, but not less either. Be aware that the better engines tend to require premium gas.

09-09-2004, 01:51 AM	#3 (permalink)
bodypainter Psycho Location: Sarasota	I've driven several muscle cars as daily drivers - it's just been a long time since I did so. I've had small block late 60's Mustangs and got 18 mpg average which I consider pretty good for a late 60's/early 70's car. On the other hand my '70 Olds 442 big block never broke 12 mpg no matter how hard I tried. There was pretty much nothing from those days that would crack 20 mpg and still have horsepower. Your 30 mile commute will probably be okay as these cars do a lot better on the highway at a constant speed. Your 120 miles delivering pizza is gonna kill you though.

09-09-2004, 03:00 AM	#4 (permalink)
Lockjaw Junkie	Do you want a Muscle car (i.e. a Hemi Cuda,Boss 302 Mustang etc...) or just a car from the 60s and the 70s without the massive engine? If it's the later you'd be surprised at what you could afford. In fact a 66-67 Mustang would probably run you like 8k for a fairly clean specimen. It would likely be a V6 it wouldn't be fast at all but you would at least have the car and engine,suspension, etc...can be upgraded later.

09-09-2004, 09:13 AM	#5 (permalink)
Scorps Lost!! Location: Kingston, Ontario	Best bet would be going for a 80's Old's Cutlass or a 70's-80's Camaro with a 350 chevy with the carb is tuned right you can get some good mpg(don't know exact numbers)

09-09-2004, 12:23 PM	#7 (permalink)
hirosada Tilted Location: Washington	The driver bit of your question is what worries me. Go with a little import beater like an early 90's Protege or even Metro for work. You should be able to find one of those for $800ish. Then pick what ever muscle car you'd like to have as the "fun car." Seriously you'd wind up wearing out the muscle car doing deliveries.

09-09-2004, 05:46 PM	#10 (permalink)
mighty mouse Crazy	2 cars buddy, its the only way to fly. My 383 powered 68 NovaSS knocks down 18mpg in town with 3.31 gears and a non-OD 4 speed. Even moves out pretty well too, 12.6@110 on street tires is my best. I had a '73 350 in the car before the 383. It was tired but not dead, could never get more than 14mpg out of it though. My 68 Nova w/ a 402BB barely gets 10mpg consistently and only runs high 15's(guessing). My cousin has a 66 Mustang 6 banger that averages 24mpg in town, another 66 289 Mustang that gets 20 in town. I built a 72 Nova for my g/f with a nearly stock 350 in it that is getting about 15mpg in town with a TH350 and 3.08 rear gear. Its probably the best of them for daily driving, its fast enough to be fun, will do a decent burnout, and looks and sounds the part. All can be driven everyday, but its a lot of upkeep. Crazy work to keep them all up for those number of miles. The calipers for my 68 SS are $500 a pop, so you don't want to be driving it a million miles delivering pizzas. I drive an '86 Olds Cutlass everyday, bought for $1800(the engine for the SS cost $3200) in great shape with only 72,000 miles on it. It gets 20mpg and never complains about sitting in traffic or going to the grocery store instead of the track. Not a lot better mileage than the older cars, but it uses 87 octane instead of 92 like the SS. Buying a newer good mileage beater and an old classic makes a lot of sense.

09-10-2004, 12:44 PM	#12 (permalink)
bodypainter Psycho Location: Sarasota	Clarkster - since you like Fords and are looking for muscle convertibles under 10K, let me suggest you look for a pre-1971 Mercury Cougar convertible (sorry the 71-73 Cougars are so bloated and ugly I just can't recommend them). Mustang convertibles are getting really hard to find for your price range but the Cougars are much more reasonable.

09-10-2004, 03:10 PM	#14 (permalink)
DDDDave Addict Location: Sarasota	Good call BP, Here's a nice one... here it is.... http://adcache.collectorcartraderonl...7/75119357.htm __________________ I am just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe... "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." - Thoreau "Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm" - Emerson

09-10-2004, 04:14 PM	#15 (permalink)
merkerguitars Buffering......... Location: Wisconsin...	Or look for a mercury cyclone...i can't remember which years look the best but those are really nice cars. __________________ Donate now! Ask me How! Please use the search function it is your friend. Look at my mustang please feel free to comment! http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=26985

09-11-2004, 03:44 AM	#19 (permalink)
bodypainter Psycho Location: Sarasota	My second car was a '68 Mercury Cyclone! Along with my first real girlfriend! Check out those bellbottoms - groovy eh? (hey, it was 1973 - give me a break ) They are becoming very difficult to find however and I don't think the Cyclone was made in a ragtop (could be wrong but if they were they're rare as rare can be now). Cyclone and Torino GT's with desirable engines are no longer cheap by any means though. If you want a bigger car, Ford made some 2 door Galaxy 500's with big block/4 speed configurations, convertibles even, that would haul ass down the highway too. Last edited by bodypainter; 09-11-2004 at 04:03 AM..

09-11-2004, 04:21 PM	#20 (permalink)
william Psycho	Cyclone and Torino parts go hand in hand; odds are against finding Cyclone parts. The Cyclone wasn't a soft-top option. Ford "muscle" cars are available (think '69 Mach I). Cougars were nice as well to stay in the "family". As a daily driver, you can find a project car (depending on your budget) and build from there. As for the delivery business, find a different car. As far as mileage goes, it depends on a lot of factors. Stock v. custom, et al. I owned a stock 70 Cyclone w/a 351C that could average 20 MPG/city. I had a friend w/a '70 GTO (custom) who averaged 2 gal/mile. I swear - he hit the pedal, and you could watch the needle fall.

09-12-2004, 12:41 PM	#21 (permalink)
TheClarkster Very Proud of Ya Location: Simi Valley, CA	So basically no matter what I do, I should keep my truck for delivering and use my fun car for driving to school and back? That sounds easy enough. __________________ Do not speak Latin in front of the books.