Highest MPG V8?

[Jay2TheRescue]

If you get that to 20+ on the highway, it will be geared too tall to load that vehicle to capacity. I have owned several trucks of that style/vintage and only one of them gave me over 20 MPG highway. It was a 1974 Chevy C10 1/2 ton 2wd. It had a small block 350 TH350 3 speed automatic transmission with locking torque converter. I had replaced the points type distributor with an electronic distributor I got out of a junked 1975 van. I used to get about 25 highway in that truck, but it was light, and I drove it with a light foot. The best I ever got on the highway in my 86 Chevy C10 (which has a small block 305, T700R4 4 speed automatic with locking torque converter) is about 18 highway. My 1998 GMC K1500 extended cab has a 350, fuel injection, 4 speed automatic with lockup, and 4wd. The best I ever got out of it was 18 MPG, and that was on ethanol free fuel, going 70 MPH fully loaded on the highway. My 2000 GMC Savanna 3500 gets me about 16 highway, and that's a 1 ton with fuel injection, 4 speed automatic, etc.

To have any hope of getting a 1985 1 ton to hit those numbers, you will probably have to convert it to a 1/2 ton truck (you can't haul the heavy weight anymore). Take the E rated tires off, change the transmission, rear end, shocks, springs, and lower it to the 1/2 ton height.

Brand new 1 ton trucks don't hit those numbers unless you're looking at diesels. IMHO, with what you're gonna have to spend, (and then have a truck that won't haul the weight) it would be cheaper to just find a nice used 1 ton with a turbo diesel.