Daily Driver.. LA318 vs 360 Magnum

Gears trump CID every time, provided the air going into the engine is all going in the same direction._____________

In 2004, my 367/6liter was at 10.7/1 Scr (alloy heads) with pressure around 180psi. It was running a [email protected] cam.I combo'd it up with a .71odA833, and the .78GVod behind it, so that's double overdrive.The FinalDrive ratio was 1.97; The cruise rpm maths to
65=1590/75=1835/85=2080
The 223* cam vacuum-peaked at or around 1900. That means, finally at 1900, reversion was done, and I had a clean, controllable, intake mixture.
So I planned a trip down to the CarCraft Nationals in Shakopee Minnesota, a good long daytrip. I had previously dialed in my speedo . I gassed up the tank and filled the trunk with Jerry-cans of Canadian 87E10 gas, I knew exactly how much gas I had on board.
Early next morning, we headed out, and drove and drove and drove. On the Canadian side, the speed limit is 100kph/62mph. On the US side the Interstate is 75. Somewhere in N.Dakota, we noticed that they like to drive 85 MPH, so we kept up for most of the rest of the trip.
Ok now, when we arrived near our destination and exited the interstate, we found a spot, pulled in, and from the Jerry cans I gassed up one last time. Then I calculated the mpgs. My calculator spit out 40 mpgC , which converts to 32 USg. _______________________

How I did it;
I used an old Holley 1850, which is a 600cfm; for it's small primaries. I had removed the plugs at the top of the idle wells to access the IFRs and had prepared a selection of wires to insert into them, and I had installed tiny MJs into it. And my secret weapon was the dash-mounted, dial-back, timing delay box. And my super-secret weapon was the cranking cylinder pressure. But the biggest deal of all was the low cruising rpm, that was just high enough to be out of reversion.
Now, with 1.6 rockers, the lift on this Hughes HE2430AL cam is advertised to be .538/.549.. That same combo except with a 750DP, went 106 in the quarter on it's one and only pass, which, at 3650 pounds/930 ft elevation, translates to 335hp, so... this is no slouch of an engine.
I do not own an AFR gauge, and I did not spend any time prior in tuning this combo. The only changes were stopping on the side of the hiway to swap wires or jets. And each time I did that, I then re-optimized the timing, from the cab.
So anyone of you can do the exact same thing.
Imagine how much MORE mpgs a similarly built, hi-Scr/smaller cam, 273/318 spread-bore, triple-booster carb, could get.

Listen fellas; I keep telling you that the world is lying to you, and that the government is not your friend, and.........
Have you not noticed that the cars of today, after 75 long years of evolution since the 265 came out (1955), are still only doing relatively the same fuel economy, size for size? Oh they have worked so hard on complicating thechit outta them, and brainwashing the masses that their wonderful next-gen whatever will do wonderful things for us; which they never do.
>I tell you what; the 273 is a 4.47liter engine. Install a 4bbl and headers on it, but Combo it up like your favorite modern tricked out direct-injected VVT, whatever; with the same 8-speed auto, and 200/220psi cylinder pressure, and stick it in your lightweight 65 Barracuda, and see what happens.
Every modern car you climb into, is a rolling tax collector, from the the first mile to the last mile; it is not actually designed for fuel-economy; rather, it is designed to generate revenue for someone way up the food chain, to spend on stupidchit to brainwash you with.
But I digress,lol._________________

When the factory installed 2.45s into the super low-pressure early-80s 318FAs, they were on to something. My Dad had one and kept a log-book. It rarely got less than 25mpgC/20 USg. My Dad had 6 sisters and 6 brothers, scattered across the Prairies, and he loved to go visit them in his retirement years. He had that car long enough to install two timing chains. I did the second for him, and put a dual-row in it.
But the factory could have done so much more.
In 2010 when Dad died, I inherited that 1984 FA.