Ken Tharp wrote:
>Back in the mid-70's, in my former lbc life, our '71 Spitfires
routinely
>got 30 miles per gallon. Today, my '79 gets less than 20 mpg. I'm
>curious to know whether other late-model Spit owners do better than
>that. I think my car is running rich, which would account for some of
>the problem (if it is a problem).
Ken,
Dont own a Spitfire, so cannot compare notes.
However, I note that many of our engines and running gear are not as
"fresh" as they used to be, which may contribute to less efficient
running.
One thing California residents will notice is that their gas
consumption has increased 10-20% in the past year, because of the
introduction of RFG (re-formulated gasoline).
This begs me to ask the question; with the move to no-lead low-octane
gas, could this be the major contributing factor for why our gas consumption
is more than it was 20 years ago?
On the other hand, a 20-year-old foot in a brand-spankin' new sports
car out to impress the "birds" in the 70's is likely to be "heavier"
than that of a 40-year-old wondering whether that diff-rebuild he just
did will get his TR6 home!
Shane Ingate in San Diego
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