Fuel consumption/door mirrors

[csjcarolyn]

I have an early Berlinetta with a 2.0 Lt.Pinto engine that is returning about 15-18 Miles per gallon around town and about 30-32 on the open road. Is this normal for this car? I have not checked the rear axle ratio but presume the difference would not be that considerable. Yes I have checked for leaks etc., and the car is not driven sportingly - normally.

Reversing into tight spaces is difficult. I am thinking of extending the door mirrors so the mirror heads are outside of the running boards. I do not want to fit wings mirrors. Has any one else solved this problem and how?

Many thanks Roger Johnson

[amalgamated users from prior forum]

Re: Fuel consumption/door mirrors

Message originally posted by: Stefan Carlton
Roger, my Marina engine (similar tech) gets around 25 MPG during the week when I drive it to Uni and back (through the centre of Newcastle), motorways see about 30MPG and it drops down to the high 'teens when I drive with a heavy right foot on the back roads. The Pinto is a fairly heavy engine and isn't best known for it's fuel economy, as such 30MPG is about right but in town does seem a little low. Have you checked all the obvious such as timing, mixture, needles (assuming you're running carbs similiar to SU's) - it might be it's overfueling at lower rpm.

As for door mirrors, I've been looking around for a set to replace the ones on my Roadster but struggled to find anything that suits both the styling of the car, the mounting location (on the rollover bar) and the viewing requirements I have, the closest I found were the non-road legal SPA Design Formula mirrors which are designed for the race track and the Viatoli Californian.

If however you don't like the idea of a new mirror on a stalk, you can get stalks for your mirrors from somewhere like Europa Spares or www.s-v-c.co.uk

[tim hawkesworth]

Re: Fuel consumption/door mirrors

Roger,
The solution to your mirror query may lie in Malvern.Several members have fitted Morgan door fixed mirrors to Berlinettas and its one of my jobs for this winter that has not yet been done. These mirrors are expensive but they are good.

[csjcarolyn]

Re: Fuel consumption/door mirrors

Hi Tim, and thanks. Do you know which model, it seems there are 5 to choose from?


Roger