bill67 wrote on 01/08/09 at 06:55:50: Cars are geared a lot higher now than they were in the 50's and 60's and their torque and horsepower is at a lot higher rpm,and they get a lot better mpg now.A 1980 Dodge truck straight 6 had maxs torque at 1200 rpm.that was about 20 mph in high gear
Bill, you sure ?
I once had a lot of specialist books on US cars, and remember their "specific horsepower" rating was more or less equivalent to European diesels of the time.
Mind you, I am talking "specific hp", meaning "hp/cu.in" or "hp/liter"
Both European diesels and US sedans would rate 28-35 hp/liter, which was very little - meaning low revs, low consumption (*) and very long engine life.
My current truck is the last of the Mohicans of that school of thought: rather than a 16 valve, DOHC hi-pressure jobbie with an easy 70 hp/liter, my truck has an old, long stroke, pushrod, low pressure diesel running an official 38 hp/liter... and redlines at a mere 3000 rpm.
Max. Torque at 1800 rpm.
I'm talking 4-pot 3 liter engine; so a straight six would equate 4.5 liters, or 280-290 cu.in. (289 ? Now, where did I hear that ?
)
But it still delivers max torque at 1800...
My Savage is an '89 4 speed, and feels best at 90Km/h = 55 mph.
110 Km/h = 70 mph is the fastest I'm willing to ride her without any kind of wind protection and longer gearing (chain& sprocket, here I come!!!)
I know US cars from 50's - 70's were road barges with often single digit mpg figures...
But I'm talking of the performance and mpg you would expect from a straight 6 US engine VS. similar European engine.
(*) As an example : 1973 Jaguar XJ6 4.2, 270 bhp and 15mpg
1973 BMW 3300 sedan, 190 bhp
1973 Mercedes Benz
1973 Ford Custom 6 cylinder engine, 160 bhp and (?)mpg (my dad's)