MPG experiment....1976 Dart Lite

Ceej said
Dude, I am going to find a good vacuum amplifier and some other goodies for a care package if it kills me! :-D

CJ

Nice to see this is driving you nuts! Bwahahah!

autopar3000 said
I just read the entire thread (great thread)... the only thing I can see that hasn't yet been mentioned is your wheels. I would recommend that you try to upgrade your wheels to something more light weight (i.e. aluminum mags). Those old steel wheels are heavy, and considering they're rotating mass the extra weight is that much worse. A light weight drive shaft would also help, and maybe some lighter drive pulleys (if you can even get them for a slant).

Here is my quandry here... Small bolt pattern choices are few. Despite the year, it's all small bolt pattern. The 8 3/4 that goes in later is small bolt pattern too. It came with 15" ralleye wheels, with differing offsets front and rear.... It also has the early center caps, which really give it a nice stance, a little hot rod. Someone really did their homework specing out the wheels. If I go something else, I either have to use adapters, (200 bucks for 4) plus new wheels ($$) and the front wheels would almost have a FWD offset because of the spacers. All this to save a few pounds per corner.
OR
I go big bolt pattern (front kits run 250-300 plus extra parts) and new axles for 8 3/4 (200-400) and then I have all kinds of choices (I sell wheels, I can get drag lites or drag star knockoff for 85.00 each) but that still equals almost a grand.

:dunno:

It is a valid area to check on a MPG build, but I just don't know that the costs are worth the benefits right now.