The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network - View Single Post - Are you really concerned with gas milage on your truck??

**jocko** · 10-10-2021, 10:15 AM

Do I care - not really. Do I pay attention to what gas costs, and big block vs small block vs gearing vs overdrive vs miles I intend to drive - yes. Given the sheer quantity of overdrive trans swaps, I’d say more of us care about fuel economy than want to admit (since the engines were perfectly happy at the highway rpm they were geared for at birth). 70CST hit the nail on the head in the first post - ie the sheer pleasure of driving. We may care about fuel economy, but it’s a price we all are very willing to pay to be able to enjoy driving these old trucks.

And Tyler’s note is worth adding to, completely agree that it’s not just the old trucks that get poor fuel mileage. My 01 8.1L gets worse mileage than my 72 3/4 ton or any other half tons I’ve had. But it can pull a house.

And don’t get me wrong - I’m all for overdrive trans swaps, have done it myself at times.

10-10-2021, 10:15 AM	#7
jocko Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Godley, TX Posts: 17,937	Re: Are you really concerned with gas milage on your truck?? Do I care - not really. Do I pay attention to what gas costs, and big block vs small block vs gearing vs overdrive vs miles I intend to drive - yes. Given the sheer quantity of overdrive trans swaps, I’d say more of us care about fuel economy than want to admit (since the engines were perfectly happy at the highway rpm they were geared for at birth). 70CST hit the nail on the head in the first post - ie the sheer pleasure of driving. We may care about fuel economy, but it’s a price we all are very willing to pay to be able to enjoy driving these old trucks. And Tyler’s note is worth adding to, completely agree that it’s not just the old trucks that get poor fuel mileage. My 01 8.1L gets worse mileage than my 72 3/4 ton or any other half tons I’ve had. But it can pull a house. And don’t get me wrong - I’m all for overdrive trans swaps, have done it myself at times.