Put my magnum swapped Scamp to the test.

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dragbaron

dragbaron

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Dec 3, 2011
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Location
Clovis, NM
I've been going to the Mopar Nats since '98, and my plan this year was to take my '71 Scamp that I put a '00 5.9 with EFI into. I always leave for Ohio the week before the Nats. I'm from Ohio originally and have family and friends to visit.

Left at 6am New Mexico time and got into my home town of Circleville around 6am Ohio time (4am New Mexico time), so it took about 3hrs longer this year. Main reason is we had to stop more for gas, which was expected when compared to the SRT4 Neon I've taken the last 3 years.

The car ran great on this 1300 mile trip (run straight through, only stopping for gas), and got gas mileage from a worst of 15.8mpg to a best of 19.8mpg. Most of the runs were in the 17mpg range. The worst tank was with the A/C on and running through the hills of Missouri.

So far so good. Now it's got to get me through the week, the Mopar Nats, and then the same 1300 mile trip back home next Monday!
 
Dang!! Nice test!! Glad to see the trip was a success! We'll be heading up for the nats Thursday and be there for Friday then going to pa Saturday for a wedding. Wish my car was running to test! Lol. Maybe I'll see you n your car Friday!
 
75slant6 said:
Dang!! Nice test!! Glad to see the trip was a success! We'll be heading up for the nats Thursday and be there for Friday then going to pa Saturday for a wedding. Wish my car was running to test! Lol. Maybe I'll see you n your car Friday!
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I go Friday and Saturday. I always park on the back side, so I can walk right into the swap meet! Just look for this car, with a black hood on it now.
2m4c6sw.jpg
 
magnummopar said:
Is that MPG with 904/727 or 46 RE? I am guessing 904/727 but curious. Whats been done to engine? Is that the stock cam?
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That's with a lock-up 904 and a 2.94 rear gear. Other than headers and a modified kegger(shortened runners), its a bone stock 5.9 from a '00 Dakota R/T.
 
Nice car, nice trip. I thought the mileage might be a little better. My '01 Ram 3/4 ton 2wd gets 17 mpg with the 5.9. I know it has OD but it also weighs 5000 lbs and cuts a lot of wind resistance.
 
I dont know what it is with my vehicles, but it seems everyone gets better mileage than I do. Your big Ram gets 17 and both my Dakota R/Ts get 14. Haha. The first two trips I took in this car when I first got it going, gave me 14-15mpg. I figured it was about right since that's what my R/Ts got. I was happy to see 17mpg and surprised with the 19.8mpg!
 
It would get 20+ with OD but you would probably want to swap out those gears to use it. There are other ways that are pretty cheap. What do you have for ignition?
 
magnummopar said:
It would get 20+ with OD but you would probably want to swap out those gears to use it. There are other ways that are pretty cheap. What do you have for ignition?
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It's all factory '94 ignition(using a '94 Dakota harness and '94 Ram computer).
 
Factory '94 coil. Carquest brand wires, cap and rotor from Advance Auto, and NGK V-power plugs in the factory heat range.
 
Keep the NGK's and upgrade the rest...gap plugs at .055", hotter coil, better wires, brass terminal cap and rotor, dielectric grease is your friend. PM if you need more info...
 
Well, got back to my home in Clovis, NM from Ohio Tuesday around 3:30am. The car never gave me any trouble the whole week I was there and the return trip home. Mileage was 17-18mpg coming back. So with the 2,600 miles to go from NM to OH and back, plus at least 500 miles I put on it the week I was there(we used my car every day), I'd say that 3,100+ mile week was a good test!
 
Yeah, other than the weather, it was an un-eventful trip. It pretty much rained from the time I left Ohio until I almost got to Oklahoma!

Until I got my Neon SRT4, every car I took back to Ohio for the Nats went one time(except a '70 Challenger went 2 year). The Neon went 3 years in a row, the Scamp is only going once I've decided. Unless some new vehicle gets acquired before this winter, I think I'm going to get the last 80s turbo Dodge car I got left going for the next Nats. A '90 Chrysler Lebaron GTC/VNT coupe. I like Lebaron coupes(its where my screen name came from), and people won't bug me at every gas station I stop at to look at it! Haha
 
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