500 mile road trip with OVERDRIVE!! - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Botietruck · 05-10-2009, 08:22 PM

Just got back in town. Left Friday morning and visisted my son & family in Roanoke, VA - about 250 miles away. With the 250 c.i. engine and the 3 spd. Saginaw with the overdrive, I got 15 mpg. That's with the air conditioner on about 50% of the time and I was running about 1/3 of the time in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I ran between 60 - 70 mph most of the time and at times, pushed it up to 75 mpg. I was hoping to get around 18 mpg, but that a/c really makes the 250 work.

I am very satisfied with the overdrive and the way it operates.

One thing I will have to take care of is calibrating the speedometer. My wife and daughter drove our Toyota van, and when she had the cruise on 60 mpg, my speedometer was reading 50. So, it looks like it's about 10 mpg off.

**Boog** · 05-10-2009, 08:34 PM

Nice little outing for it. Is that 15 mpg figure using the out of calibration speedo reading? If so it will most likely get better than 15 with corrected speedo don't you think?

see ten · 05-10-2009, 08:37 PM

I'm glad to hear that sweet truck is getting some road time!

CG · 05-10-2009, 08:42 PM

So you brought along a chase vehicle "just in case" huh?

Uwe Blab · 05-10-2009, 09:09 PM

Quote:

So you brought along a chase vehicle "just in case" huh?

Sounds more like it was a 'pace' vehicle.

Botie, do you have a build thread by chance?

**special-K** · 05-10-2009, 09:23 PM

That`s a pretty good shakedown.I guess the real benefit will be running flatland,as well as no a/c.It`s a trade-off with a small motor vs hills,a/c,rolling kinda fast,and all.I bet a run to the beach(or even up my way) would show some top mileage.
I went through my C/10 pictures earlier today,ran across your truck,and had a thought.It may help your mileage,too,uh...maybe?How would you like to have some painted bumper gaurds to trim that truck out?I just got them because they are rare,but don`t have any use on anything I have.LMK if you want them.It would sure make me proud knowing they went on that classy li`l stepper.

Botietruck · 05-11-2009, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uwe Blab

Sounds more like it was a 'pace' vehicle.

Botie, do you have a build thread by chance?

Blab, I have thought about a build thread, but just haven't got there yet. Maybe sometime this summer.

Botietruck · 05-11-2009, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by special-K

That`s a pretty good shakedown.I guess the real benefit will be running flatland,as well as no a/c.It`s a trade-off with a small motor vs hills,a/c,rolling kinda fast,and all.I bet a run to the beach(or even up my way) would show some top mileage.
I went through my C/10 pictures earlier today,ran across your truck,and had a thought.It may help your mileage,too,uh...maybe?How would you like to have some painted bumper gaurds to trim that truck out?I just got them because they are rare,but don`t have any use on anything I have.LMK if you want them.It would sure make me proud knowing they went on that classy li`l stepper.

Hey Tim, Thanks for the offer on the bumper guards, but I think I'll pass. My bumpers are chrome, and not sure how the painted ones would look, but thanks for the offer!! And thanks for the comments! I would like to do a road trip to "Buffalo Bottom" sometime.

Bob

Botietruck · 05-11-2009, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CG

So you brought along a chase vehicle "just in case" huh?

CG, I was bound and determined to make that overdrive work, and only I and the Good Lord knows what it cost to make it happen. With the problems I had getting that o/d functional, I didn't know what to expect. I have to say, it worked like a dream. After you shift into third gear, at what ever speed you desire, lift your foot off the accelerator just a tad, she shifts into o/d, the rpm's drop, and that 250 is singing the sweetest song you've ever heard. When I started up a steep incline, I pushed the pedal down (to throttle wide open) and it shifts out of o/d (at that time you're back in 3rd gear) until you reach the top or let off the pedal just a bit and it shifts right back in to o/d.
If you want to eliminate the o/d altogether, just pull the o/d cable handle out and you're back into conventional drive.
It's really fun to play with, but I could see where you could rip one out with a V-8 if you dogged it alot. But these units were not made for hot rodding.

**special-K** · 05-11-2009, 10:17 PM

Aw heck,I thought you had white bumpers.You can see they would have been perfect...if that`s what you had.oh well...

And,c`mon by anytime.

05-10-2009, 08:22 PM	#1
Botietruck '71 chevy s.bed/s.side Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chesapeake, VA Posts: 1,571	500 mile road trip with OVERDRIVE!! Just got back in town. Left Friday morning and visisted my son & family in Roanoke, VA - about 250 miles away. With the 250 c.i. engine and the 3 spd. Saginaw with the overdrive, I got 15 mpg. That's with the air conditioner on about 50% of the time and I was running about 1/3 of the time in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I ran between 60 - 70 mph most of the time and at times, pushed it up to 75 mpg. I was hoping to get around 18 mpg, but that a/c really makes the 250 work. I am very satisfied with the overdrive and the way it operates. One thing I will have to take care of is calibrating the speedometer. My wife and daughter drove our Toyota van, and when she had the cruise on 60 mpg, my speedometer was reading 50. So, it looks like it's about 10 mpg off. __________________ STILL PLAYS WITH CARS...AND TRUCKS!! Parents! Be good to your kids...they get to choose your nursing home! 250 I-6 with a 3 speed Saginaw and Borg Warner Overdrive...She's got overdrive!

05-10-2009, 08:34 PM	#2
Boog laying low Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Searcy, Ark. USA Posts: 13,140	Re: 500 mile road trip with OVERDRIVE!! Nice little outing for it. Is that 15 mpg figure using the out of calibration speedo reading? If so it will most likely get better than 15 with corrected speedo don't you think? __________________ Boog 69 Chevy stepside, 358/T350, 4.11 posi, 4.5/4 drop, rallys, poboy driver primer is finer 91 Chevy sportside, Tahoe, Yukon & GMC Crewcab All GM..'nuff said. I stand for the flag and kneel at the cross

05-10-2009, 08:37 PM	#3
see ten WTB this ad Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Lafayette Georgia Posts: 5,074	Re: 500 mile road trip with OVERDRIVE!! I'm glad to hear that sweet truck is getting some road time!

05-10-2009, 08:42 PM	#4
CG BlahBlahBlah Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wa. Posts: 19,845	Re: 500 mile road trip with OVERDRIVE!! So you brought along a chase vehicle "just in case" huh? __________________ … … … … … … … … ... … … … … … … … … … … …

05-10-2009, 09:23 PM	#6
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,861	Re: 500 mile road trip with OVERDRIVE!! That`s a pretty good shakedown.I guess the real benefit will be running flatland,as well as no a/c.It`s a trade-off with a small motor vs hills,a/c,rolling kinda fast,and all.I bet a run to the beach(or even up my way) would show some top mileage. I went through my C/10 pictures earlier today,ran across your truck,and had a thought.It may help your mileage,too,uh...maybe?How would you like to have some painted bumper gaurds to trim that truck out?I just got them because they are rare,but don`t have any use on anything I have.LMK if you want them.It would sure make me proud knowing they went on that classy li`l stepper. __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~ Last edited by special-K; 05-10-2009 at 09:25 PM.

05-11-2009, 10:17 PM	#10
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,861	Re: 500 mile road trip with OVERDRIVE!! Aw heck,I thought you had white bumpers.You can see they would have been perfect...if that`s what you had.oh well... And,c`mon by anytime. __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~



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