MPG

[Guildbass]

I have a 1098 Traveller, just rebuilt bottom end/timing chain etc... I'm getting 41 MPG with a combination of fastish (55-75mph) A/B road and daily two mile to the dog walk trips.
That seems quite good... is it?

[Bill_qaz]

No idea I only measure smiles to the mile in mine and get plenty

[Guildbass]

No idea I only measure smiles to the mile in mine and get plenty

ha! mine's pretty good on those too, but I'm 'daily driving' mine as all other cars are either poorly or gone, so...

[KeithL]

Over 14 years and 14K miles we have averaged just over 40mpg in our 1098 Traveller. Similar sort of driving to you. Our record for a tank was 55mpg on a long motorway journey sat at about 60mph the whole way.

[myoldjalopy]

I get between 42 and 43 mpg from my 948cc engine.........

[Guildbass]

Over 14 years and 14K miles we have averaged just over 40mpg in our 1098 Traveller. Similar sort of driving to you. Our record for a tank was 55mpg on a long motorway journey sat at about 60mph the whole way.

Ah, OK... that's good then. Still playing with mixture and so on. 55 mpg is brilliant. i'd be extremely happy to get over 50 !

[Guildbass]

I get between 42 and 43 mpg from my 948cc engine.........

it's all very encouraging. I spent the afternoon failing to read the installation instructions on my 'points substitute' electronic ignition and now I can't find my timing light...But i'm hoping for good things!

[Chief]

I recall getting alot better mpg before the car was re-created in solid metal than after

[Guildbass]

I recall getting alot better mpg before the car was re-created in solid metal than after

Your car was a dedicated follower of Colin Chapman 'Simplify, then add lightness' !

[Blaketon]

The original Lotus Elite and Lotus X1 returned incredible MPG, in both road tests and the Le Mans 24 Hrs (So did the Triumph TR2/3). I suspect Colin Chapman would be turning in his grave at the weight of some of the vehicles bearing his brand. I recall tales of mechanics being told "I don't want those washers going for a ride, take them off". His idea was that if a racing car fell to bits on the slowing down lap, it had done it's job but he got caught sometimes. Graham Hill once joked that you knew you were driving a Lotus, if one of you own wheels overtook you. My father had a Lotus Elan Sprint and that was a remarkable car, very comfortable, with road holding that was hard to credit. MPG wasn't brilliant but I expect a Plus 2 gearbox would have helped.

As to Minors, I think the 1098s generally returned best MPG in road tests. My 1275 doesn't use a lot of fuel but I've not done any kind of tests. My late father's 1275 Midget is excellent, even without a 5 speed box (Both have Peter Burgess "Econtune" heads).

Speaking of MPG, I have a book of Motor sports car road tests, from 1948 - 1961 and am amazed at how poor the MG TD was (The MGA 1600 returned better MPG). That was 1250cc, so not a lot different from 1275 but compared with figures I have for the A Series Midgets, the TD was a real gas guzzler. Granted the TD was slightly heavier and less streamlined (The figures drop markedly as speed goes up) and it was lower geared than even an early 1275 Midget but still surprising. However, the TD had only a 7.25:1 compression ratio (The MGA CR had risen) and I wonder whether that accounts for some of it? The Morgan +4 (Standard Vanguard, rather than TR2 spec) was better, as was the 1500cc HRG. However both showed quite marked drops in MPG, as speed rose and even the TR3 engined Morgans only just get to 100mph. It would be interesting to see what T Types can return these days, as I expect the CRs have increased and of course, some now have Ford T9 gearboxes (There may only be about 200 Sierras left, one of which I saw last week, but there are far more Sierra gearboxes to be found in other cars nowadays - odd how the cookie sometimes crumbles).