Will rodded 4-bangers & 6-bangers really save gas?

[freakdude]

Diuring the mid-70's gas crunch I was building a '31 Model Slant Window Town Sedan. I put a 2300 Pinto engine in out of fear aboug gas prices. Onenight I sat up in bed and said, "What have you done, boy? Ruining a perfectly good hot rod like that." A few days later there was a 350/350 in it. I'll save money other ways in order to pay for gas for the hot rods.
I figured little old ladies in their new Buicks would smoke me from a stoplight with my 4banger A sedan, and they wouldn't even be trying. Now, that ain't a hot rod in my book.
I'd say if you build a light enough rod, then a 4 banger is fine. Like someone else said, it's all about power to weight.

OK, still got the Pinto motor??? Im running a Mustang 2.3 liter with a 4 speed. I blew up the Ranger motor I had before. I run a single barrel carb and get around 45MPG. And I hafta agree it is all about the weight. My Rat may not be as fast as a traditional V8 rod but it not like im tearing up some vintage rod either. Plus I AM CHEAP!!! I can go for a decent drive without thinkin about how much $$$ Im spending. You can get a ton of performance parts for this motor but more horsepower= lower MPG no doubt!

 

[bob w]

Freakdude, No, the motor went away a looong time ago. I think you probably knew that. I've got a stock 250 6 cyl. in a '35 International and it's no great performer. Keeps up with traffic just fine though. The 2300 Pinto in a full fendered 4 door sedan with a full interior and an automatic trans just didn't make sense, even with the fear of rising gas prices. I've been using tall rear gears in recent hot rods I've built to improve mileage at the cost of some performance and would have no problem using a 4 banger in a light weight hot rod.

 

[freakdude]

Yeah I here ya brother. I like those inliners too. I got a Pontiac OHC-6 in the garage. I wanted to queeze it in my rat when the motor went but it just wouldn't make it without a major redo of the frame. I bought a long block instead. I'm selling the Pontiac motor now, I know someday Ill be ****ed I didn't hold on to it, but its in the way. It makes around 175hp with a single barrel carb. They do around 225 with a 4 barrel. Those 2.3 liter motor around those Shays pretty well, I wonder hoe much heavier a real model A is?

 

[Tripper]

I got a Pontiac OHC-6 in the garage.

Freak,
What did that come out of... a '65/'66 Tempest?

BoB

 

[earthman]

alternative fuel,emissions is a problem

 

[freakdude]

Freak,
What did that come out of... a '65/'66 Tempest?

BoB

'68 Tempest...

 

[T2T]

I don't see anything wrong with bangers or inlinners.................but, if you want a V8 build a V8. I believe the light weight rods we build will more than make up the difference. I just bought three 97'S and I'm looking for three more....................Can't stop me!

 

[barberochris]

I think a four or six would be cool in a pre-war car/ truck. The size of the post-war cars would make the usual lack of torque a smaller motor has (compared to V-8's) make for a slow and boring ride. You should check out the article in the April 2008 issue of Hot Rod magazine about an Ecotec powered hot rod.

 

[dawg]

I'm selling the Pontiac motor now, I know someday Ill be ****ed I didn't hold on to it, but its in the way.

Dude, if you still have it, please pm me with the details, I need it!...

 

[bonechop]

I am just getting rolling on building my roller, but I am still on the fence about the motor. Being a mechanic at toyota, I have a fresh 22r 4 cyl and on the other side I also have a '40 flathead... do I go for a lighter, 30+ mpg, 215 hp 4 cyl, with a hood! Or do I go with the nostalgic motor that is heavier and gets ?? mpg, and is maybe 150 hp for coolness?!

 

[Tripper]

Freak,
What did that come out of... a '65/'66 Tempest?

'68 Tempest...

Freakdude,
Man... quit holdin' out on us... give up some pictures of that motor!!! I remember when they 1st came out & thought they looked really kool. OHC-6 was a hard sell back in the muscle car era but really kool now because they're so rare! Recently met a guy with several Cosworth Vegas.

BoB

 

[RoddingRon]

What? Me worry?

I like Nova engine compartments like this, but I've always been a little different and I had a lot of fun with this one

.

This was the near stock version, but I have the barely streetable version that I still want to put in something...if I can afford the gas

I'm still giving some serious thought to building my 47 pickup with a quad four and a 5 speed...just for the milage and the ability to drive it with todays bogusly inflated gas prices.

 

[zzford]

I think it depends on the car. A small track roadster or a period style lakester with a four can be very cool. Some of the quad four powered rods really turn my crank. With some of the dress up stuff available, they even look racy. Ever seen a DOHC Fiat or Alfa engine? I have to admit, My mind has wandered away from V8's after imagining a light roadster with a health Alfa Romeo engine in it.

 

[RoddingRon]

I think it depends on the car. A small track roadster or a period style lakester with a four can be very cool. Some of the quad four powered rods really turn my crank. With some of the dress up stuff available, they even look racy. Ever seen a DOHC Fiat or Alfa engine? I have to admit, My mind has wandered away from V8's after imagining a light roadster with a health Alfa Romeo engine in it.

The quad fours are a good motor...my Grand Am with a 5 speed gets 29-30 mpg running the 41 mile trip to and from work and (for what it is) still has some pretty good "get up and go". I've thought with one of them in a lite roadster or coupe set up would be a lot of fun and still get really good milage..translate that has being able to afford driving it a lot. The only draw bcak I 've found with the quad fours is the cost of converting them to be used in a rear wheel drive, non computer controlled car (or converting the computer for the new car)...this is the only place I've found for the conversion parts...so far
http://quad4rod.accountsupport.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

 

[Eviloliv3]

I actually have been thinking about putting a Honda S2000 motor into a rat rod. Stock puts 220 to the wheels, 6spd manual trans, efi and reliability. Possibly add on a supercharger for easy 350hp

I've been toying around with different ideas and everybody and their mother has a v8, so to see a Honda motor under the hood (or lack of hood) would be worth seeing the "WTF did this guy do?!" faces

I've been working with imports (Japanese and German) for years now, and I'd like to start into the hot rod field

 

[Todd]

I did the SBC in my model A pretty much out of the normal pressures. The Hudson is getting an inline 6 cause I think it looks cool there. If the Track roadster evercomes to reality, it will be a 4 cyl, cause I think it'll be cool.

 

[SPOCK]

hey

here in the UK fuel is currently £1.20ish a litre.not sure what the exchange rates are , but thats gotta work out to about $10 a gallon.
Now how good does that V8 sound
i have two rods at the moment , both with 4's in them , and trust me niether of them are boring to drive , my Anglia has about 200bhp and is stock , my Austin has 110-120bhp and with the exception of the throttle bodies is also stock.
I agotta agree with the sound thing , you cant beat that V8 rumble.
The Anglia makes that hideous 'pssssshh' noise when you change gear , but i can live with that , it goes like stink.
This has been my daily for a good few years now..hotrod day every day..cant beat it.

You can always disguise them..

Thats all of 1400cc's , the car weighs next to nothing , great fun
The secret to 4-pots is manual trans and the right rearend gears.
I dont think they'll ever replace V8's , cos V8's look and sound better , but i cant see myself building a V8 rod anytime soon , and i have a low mileage 354 hemi in the garage too , cos i like to drive the wheels off them and i dont want to have to fill em up every third gas station
At the end of the day it depends what you want from your rod , but as time goes on , 4 pots are getting more powerful and more efficient , so maybe you can have your cake and eat it
Spock

 

[Willowbilly3]

One of the things I notice is how little the sacrifice of the other 4 cylinders really gets you. Not so much rods but consider you can drive a Lincoln town car and get mid twentys out on the road or drive a 4 banger turdbox to get 30. The 5 mpg you gain ain't worth the sacrifice. Now it it was a 45 mpg Jetta that would be different. One of the nices cars I ever owned was an (ugh) Chevy MonteCarlo. It had a throttle body 4.3 and easily got low 20s around town and mid to high 20s on the road, averaged about 26. I wouldn't treade off a couple miles to the gallon for an economy car. I also had a 68 Torino GT with a 289 that had no problem running about the same milage as that Monte did, although to be fair that was 80's gas.
I am building my rod with a 260/T5 in hopes of mid 20s, maybe higher and still have my V8 sound.

 

[Todd]

Spock, how much tax is on that litre? If we want a fair apple to apple comparison the taxes should be removed.

 

[bob w]

I found a 225 slant six and 4 speed in a junkyard last week. I don't need another project, but it would be kinda cool in a light, hoodless rod. I might have to get it and put it in my "Tarp Warehouse" for possible future use. Not so much for gas mileage as to just be different.

Spock: I really like your rides.