Re: [gardeners] gas guzzlers
pennyx1@juno.com (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sat, 15 Mar 2003 02:23:49 -0500
George, we took delivery of our Chevy Suburban with 454 engine and a
special rear axle ratio of perhaps 1.5 (for trailer hauling) on the day
before America's gasoline supplies dried up completely -- was that
1963...? The car did 6 mpg, so Chevrolet very kindly included a
30 gallon gas tank ... we hadn't worried because gas cost about
35c a gallon then.
Jimmie immediately changed the engine to increase the mileage to
8 or 9 mpg. I think he removed the vacuum advance on the carburetor
and installed a centrifical something or other -- but I'm a bit fuzzy on
the details.
There was no gasoline to be had at the pumps. Spontaneously one or
another gas station would open up for an hour or so, and would limit
the cars in the instant line-up to 5 gallons or some such. My laundry
man would keep his eye on the BP station across the street from his
shop, and would telephone me to bunny it down when he saw them
opening up. I'm 1.1 miles away, and I would tear down to get in line.
The biggest question then was am I better off idling, as each car ahead
of me got its 5 gallons, or am I better off turning off the engine and
then on again, as the line crept forward. We never got a definitive
answer and so I ended up idling.
Aah, the good old days ........
Penny, NY
.
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