redwhitekat

I don't mind the short trips but if you wanna take it for a nice weekend getaway forget it. I wanted to go from toronto to Chicago in June for the drag races at the old airport and I can't imagine driving 10 hours lol but ill still prob do it haha

John 65

Me too. 4th is fun in these old toys for all the above reasons for sure, but on a long trip down the highway, for me, ya just cant beat 5th gear. Its a joy.

flyeri

I did not enjoy the car on the highway with the loud side pipes. About an hour of it and I was through. I swapped the 4spd for a 5spd and it made all the difference in the world. Mileage is greatly improved and noise level on the highway is way down.

qwank

My '81 with the Richmond 5 speed 2.87 rear gears is at 3000 rpm at 85. now problems here, I love driving on the highway. Should be even better this summer with my rebuilt suspension and new wheels and tires.

ddanis60

Yeah its still got the factory computer. seems like the factory quadrajet as well. very fumey when idling and ive smelled gas once this week while idling. im sure it needs tuned, as the guy/co worker i bought it from did zero maintenance and never drove it for 7 years. i changed the oil last week first thing. seems to shift perfect, but when warm, idles near 500. yeah i was just surprised that in the 100 miles i drove to get the calculation, i was averaging 12. that is with 2 ginormous hills on the way to work, and also some slightly spirited driving around town. nothing crazy though. the first 100 miles isnt quiet enough to get a valid mpg estimate either i dont think. runs and drives smooth as butter. loud though.


I have the auto. 3 speed, and strange not having an overdrive. i dont mind the high rpm, but just weird getting used to it again. at 70-75 or so, im around 3k. the car runs great, but mileage and fumes (has no cats, but worse than i think it should be even considering the exhaust) make me think the carb needs to be looked at. Ill replace the plugs and air filter this week. anything else i should take a look at?

scorpion18z

Sell the Vette and by a Hybrid, otherwise forget about gas economy; it takes a lot of gas to make power. Hell look at how much it takes to get a rocket in orbit. We are lucky with our rockets.

ddanis60

Takes a lot of gas to make power? I also have a z06 and it gets nearly 30 on the highway.. and has over 500 hp. Just saying. yeah yeah.. it also sits at 1500 rpms when cruising, lol. thank you modern tranny's While i dont flog my z everywhere i go, i get easily 18 to 23 combined and i always have a heavy right foot when i drive that car. I also have a 90's civic that honestly doesn't have much less power than the L81 (sad to say) and it gets 4 times the mileage.. almost.

I love my c3. 1981 not the most desirable of the 3's, but i got it cheap and ive always wanted a 3rd gen. I'd drive it if it got 5 mpg. It's a 4th vehicle and is purely fun. plus it gets 10 times the compliments of its younger brother the z.

Funny you bring up rockets.. I work on large guided missiles for the air force and yeah, blasting off an icbm into space is def... powerful and loud. Wouldn't mind that kind of power. Please know all of this was in fun and good convo. I dont want to seem like a smartazz.

~Stingray

I don't hate it. But I prefer city driving so I can shift through the gears and not just hold a gas peddle in place.

Torqued Off

How about you just slow down and drive responsibly at the published speeds, that are both safe and avoid killing someone.

Street Rat

Sounds like it's time for you to buy another transmission with overdrive.

gbvette62

81 was the last year with a 3 speed automatic, 82 went to the overdrive. The 81 did have a lock up torque converter, in an effort to help the gas mileage.

Throw in some new plugs, and maybe even some new plug wires. Check the timing, and also all of the vacuum lines. If your getting a lot of fuel fumes, is there any sign that the carb may be leaking. It's also possible that the car is running rich, would could explain the fumes and the poor mileage. It couldn't hurt to pull the carb and go over it, or even replace it.

Manuel Azevedo

Don't know what maybe wrong with some of the cars here, but my 68 with chambered exhaust gets 18 on the freeway and just sings to me down the road!!

Redwing01

Nothing better than hitting the open road , roofs popped and enjoying the hell out of my C3.
I've never paid any attention to gas mileage as I maybe drive it once or twice a week , when its low I fill it!

scorpion18z

LOL! "When it's low, I just fill it back up again."

My other car is a 30 year old el Camino (which I have had since day one) and I don't remember getting over 15mpg at any period of its life. Funny thing is that I just rebuilt the carb last week with a new gasket and accelerator pump, new fuel pump, plugs, distributor cap & rotor, fuel & air filters, oil and filter and now get 12mpg. WTF??

I do like the new technologies introduced in the C7 (and any new car for that matter) and enjoy reading about how they control the internal combustion engine and, it seems, they have it figured out until the next version, but my tools are too old and my head is to full of "good ole day" techniques to be in the same class as the systems control computer. I still marvel at grabbing a hold of the dizzy and turning it left and right to find the sweet spot or looking at a part and being able to pronounce its name.

This is a fun thread and, I too mean no harm, just having fun BSing with the FGs and talking cars.

Dustup7T2

I assembled mine to run with the big dogs at interstate speeds on a regular basis. I wanted a cruiser and not necessarily, a garage queen. Not a racer either. I wanted to have some range with the factory capacity tank.

I wanted sidepipes. And music. And a heater. And windshield wipers. When I go to lower altitudes, having AC would be daytime nice so that's on the bucket list but it's not a show-stopper without it.

It won't earn Top Flight status, for now but that's fine too. Meanwhile, I am driving the wheels off this mule and racked up over 30K relatively stable miles since May 2010.

It's not a DD but as long as the roads are dry, I'm burning fuel at a rate of 20.5 mpg as pictured and loving that OD...



BTW, in town, 1st through 4th, can be "spirited" driving too.

U17

383,3:08,Hooker headers and sidepipes....700R4.. and ear plugs (for wind buffeting)....if wanted...tops never on also.... 1975 rpm at 70..Signed up for 2013 Power Tour,Long Haul ...

qwank

when I had the 3 speed auto in my '81 I was averaging 18mpg

alswagg

When I had a quadrajet on the car, running 65mph. We averaged 20 mpg, with the Holley, we averaged 18 mpg. By the seat of the pants feel. The Holley seemed to be more responsive and quicker than the Qjet. The Holley evens seems a little lean while cruising. I feel the Q jet was spot on. I suspect the accelleration of the holley is why we get lower milage. Oh, I run the timing at 36* advance at 3,000 rpm. Al

C3 4ME

79 L-82 4spd, 3.70 rear. The best I've done ont he highway is 15.8 MPG. Even with headers and flowmaster 50s, I don't think it's too bad. With the tops off, there's more wind noise than anything. With the tops on and windows up, the rattling hurst shifter is louder than anything.

71scgc

You must be young. Time was, all cars ran revs like this on the highway.
Get a 5-speed. I did. If you like the noise, leave it in 4th. If not, use the OD.
BTW gq's car is steel cities grey. A very nice SCG. Don't think you could ever get a better looking SCG than he did. My car and myself are envious.
Someday...
Carter