Ford 534 C.I. Gas Bird

[George Burke]

My new to me 1977 FC31 gas powered Bird needs a little help. Would love
to hear from anyone who has ,or now owns a gas powered Bluebird that
came with a Ford 534 C.I. engine. Issues are what did you do to improve
mpg.Did you ever have the rear gear ratio changed? If you had a 100
gallon tank, did you run out of gas at 90 gal., (in other words, thats
all it would take when we ran out!)Any help,i.e (if you do your own
mechanic work, or where if you had work done by someone else), would be
appreciated. George Burke 1977 FC31SB Charlotte

[Curt Sprenger]

George,

Our previous 'Bird, '74 FC31, had the 534 gas engine. I did most of the
maintenance, no gear changes.

Gas mileage and performance improvements...upgraded the distributor to
the Pertronix breakerless, new plugs/wires/coil, removed the factory
installed governor & carburetor stuff and installed a 750 Holley
carburetor.

I never let the tank get below 1/3.

Curt Sprenger
1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
Anaheim Hills, Calif.



George Burke wrote:

> My new to me 1977 FC31 gas powered Bird needs a little help. Would love
> to hear from anyone who has ,or now owns a gas powered Bluebird that
> came with a Ford 534 C.I. engine. Issues are what did you do to improve
> mpg.Did you ever have the rear gear ratio changed? If you had a 100
> gallon tank, did you run out of gas at 90 gal., (in other words, thats
> all it would take when we ran out!)Any help,i.e (if you do your own
> mechanic work, or where if you had work done by someone else), would be
> appreciated. George Burke 1977 FC31SB Charlotte
>
>

[gnburke@...>]

Hello Curt, Thanks for your reply. Do you remember what rear end ratio that your
74 FC31 had, and what was your ave.mpg. My first fillup was 6mpg, (2nd) 5 mpg,
(3rd & 4th) averaged 4 mpg. All fillups were over 325 miles, and ran out at 387
miles, but was only able to get 90 gallons in. Need to replace the fuel gauge,
but also want to find out why a 100 gal. tank will only take 90 gal. when empty.
Have heard that the gen. will cut off when 25 gal. remains. At present, I can go
387 miles before I will have to push. But, if I run the gen, who knows. The
original Holly/Motorcraft carb. is a model 4150. Do you remember the # of the
750 cfm that you used? Many thanks, George Burke 1977 FC31SB Charlotte
----- Original Message -----
From: Curt Sprenger
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 11:00 AM
Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Ford 534 C.I. Gas Bird


George,

Our previous 'Bird, '74 FC31, had the 534 gas engine. I did most of the
maintenance, no gear changes.

Gas mileage and performance improvements...upgraded the distributor to
the Pertronix breakerless, new plugs/wires/coil, removed the factory
installed governor & carburetor stuff and installed a 750 Holley
carburetor.

I never let the tank get below 1/3.

Curt Sprenger
1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
Anaheim Hills, Calif.

George Burke wrote:

> My new to me 1977 FC31 gas powered Bird needs a little help. Would love
> to hear from anyone who has ,or now owns a gas powered Bluebird that
> came with a Ford 534 C.I. engine. Issues are what did you do to improve
> mpg.Did you ever have the rear gear ratio changed? If you had a 100
> gallon tank, did you run out of gas at 90 gal., (in other words, thats
> all it would take when we ran out!)Any help,i.e (if you do your own
> mechanic work, or where if you had work done by someone else), would be
> appreciated. George Burke 1977 FC31SB Charlotte
>
>





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[one_dusty_hoot]

George,
To my knowledge the Holley number is the cubic feet
per minute. A 750 Holley is good for 750cfm. But, it
has been a long time, 1968, that I bought one and I
may be wrong.
bob janes, greenville, sc

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, wrote:
>
> Hello Curt, Thanks for your reply. Do you remember what rear end
ratio that your 74 FC31 had, and what was your ave.mpg. My first
fillup was 6mpg, (2nd) 5 mpg, (3rd & 4th) averaged 4 mpg. All fillups
were over 325 miles, and ran out at 387 miles, but was only able to
get 90 gallons in. Need to replace the fuel gauge, but also want to
find out why a 100 gal. tank will only take 90 gal. when empty. Have
heard that the gen. will cut off when 25 gal. remains. At present, I
can go 387 miles before I will have to push. But, if I run the gen,
who knows. The original Holly/Motorcraft carb. is a model 4150. Do
you remember the # of the 750 cfm that you used? Many thanks, George
Burke 1977 FC31SB Charlotte
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Curt Sprenger
> To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 11:00 AM
> Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Ford 534 C.I. Gas Bird
>
>
> George,
>
> Our previous 'Bird, '74 FC31, had the 534 gas engine. I did most
of the
> maintenance, no gear changes.
>
> Gas mileage and performance improvements...upgraded the
distributor to
> the Pertronix breakerless, new plugs/wires/coil, removed the
factory
> installed governor & carburetor stuff and installed a 750 Holley
> carburetor.
>
> I never let the tank get below 1/3.
>
> Curt Sprenger
> 1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
> Anaheim Hills, Calif.
>
> George Burke wrote:
>
> > My new to me 1977 FC31 gas powered Bird needs a little help.
Would love
> > to hear from anyone who has ,or now owns a gas powered Bluebird
that
> > came with a Ford 534 C.I. engine. Issues are what did you do to
improve
> > mpg.Did you ever have the rear gear ratio changed? If you had a
100
> > gallon tank, did you run out of gas at 90 gal., (in other
words, thats
> > all it would take when we ran out!)Any help,i.e (if you do your
own
> > mechanic work, or where if you had work done by someone else),
would be
> > appreciated. George Burke 1977 FC31SB Charlotte
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

[Curt Sprenger]

George,

I don't remember the rear end ratio. Contact Jim Benson at
Jim.Benson@... or thebenson79@... or jbenson71@...
. He owns the coach. Maybe he can find it on one of the information
plates or on a tag on the rear end housing. Ask him for pictures too. He
had the 'Bird painted in Mexico. Looks great.

If I recall correctly, fuel mileage was just over 5mpg, better after the
upgrades, maybe 5.5mpg. I traveled down the highway at 62mph. I always
towed at least 4,000 lbs. Ask Jim what the gas mileage is.

Yes, gen. will not get any fuel at 1/4 tank.

I believe there were two options and the 750 Holly had the electric
choke vs. manual. I don't recall anything more about it.

Curt Sprenger
1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
Anaheim Hills, Calif.



gnburke@... wrote:

> Hello Curt, Thanks for your reply. Do you remember what rear end ratio
> that your 74 FC31 had, and what was your ave.mpg. My first fillup was
> 6mpg, (2nd) 5 mpg, (3rd & 4th) averaged 4 mpg. All fillups were over
> 325 miles, and ran out at 387 miles, but was only able to get 90
> gallons in. Need to replace the fuel gauge, but also want to find out
> why a 100 gal. tank will only take 90 gal. when empty. Have heard that
> the gen. will cut off when 25 gal. remains. At present, I can go 387
> miles before I will have to push. But, if I run the gen, who knows.
> The original Holly/Motorcraft carb. is a model 4150. Do you remember
> the # of the 750 cfm that you used? Many thanks, George Burke 1977
> FC31SB Charlotte
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Curt Sprenger
> To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
>
> Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 11:00 AM
> Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Ford 534 C.I. Gas Bird
>
> George,
>
> Our previous 'Bird, '74 FC31, had the 534 gas engine. I did most of the
> maintenance, no gear changes.
>
> Gas mileage and performance improvements...upgraded the distributor to
> the Pertronix breakerless, new plugs/wires/coil, removed the factory
> installed governor & carburetor stuff and installed a 750 Holley
> carburetor.
>
> I never let the tank get below 1/3.
>
> Curt Sprenger
> 1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
> Anaheim Hills, Calif.
>
> George Burke wrote:
>
> > My new to me 1977 FC31 gas powered Bird needs a little help. Would love
> > to hear from anyone who has ,or now owns a gas powered Bluebird that
> > came with a Ford 534 C.I. engine. Issues are what did you do to improve
> > mpg.Did you ever have the rear gear ratio changed? If you had a 100
> > gallon tank, did you run out of gas at 90 gal., (in other words, thats
> > all it would take when we ran out!)Any help,i.e (if you do your own
> > mechanic work, or where if you had work done by someone else), would be
> > appreciated. George Burke 1977 FC31SB Charlotte
> >
> >
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>

[Jim Benson]

Hi guys,

I had the bird down on Doheny beach today (as usual)
and figured i would crawl under and take a look.
4.63 is the ratio. Best i can figure I'm getting
around 5 to 5.5mpg @65MPH. I'm not towing anything.
I'll be checking this out better next week on my way
out to Quartzite.

Just email if i can help with anthing else.
Aloha---
Jim Benson
Dana Point, CA
74-FC-31



--- Curt Sprenger wrote:

> George,
>
> I don't remember the rear end ratio. Contact Jim
> Benson at
> Jim.Benson@... or thebenson79@... or
> jbenson71@...
> . He owns the coach. Maybe he can find it on one of
> the information
> plates or on a tag on the rear end housing. Ask him
> for pictures too. He
> had the 'Bird painted in Mexico. Looks great.
>
> If I recall correctly, fuel mileage was just over
> 5mpg, better after the
> upgrades, maybe 5.5mpg. I traveled down the highway
> at 62mph. I always
> towed at least 4,000 lbs. Ask Jim what the gas
> mileage is.
>
> Yes, gen. will not get any fuel at 1/4 tank.
>
> I believe there were two options and the 750 Holly
> had the electric
> choke vs. manual. I don't recall anything more about
> it.
>
> Curt Sprenger
> 1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
> Anaheim Hills, Calif.
>
>
>
> gnburke@... wrote:
>
> > Hello Curt, Thanks for your reply. Do you remember
> what rear end ratio
> > that your 74 FC31 had, and what was your ave.mpg.
> My first fillup was
> > 6mpg, (2nd) 5 mpg, (3rd & 4th) averaged 4 mpg. All
> fillups were over
> > 325 miles, and ran out at 387 miles, but was only
> able to get 90
> > gallons in. Need to replace the fuel gauge, but
> also want to find out
> > why a 100 gal. tank will only take 90 gal. when
> empty. Have heard that
> > the gen. will cut off when 25 gal. remains. At
> present, I can go 387
> > miles before I will have to push. But, if I run
> the gen, who knows.
> > The original Holly/Motorcraft carb. is a model
> 4150. Do you remember
> > the # of the 750 cfm that you used? Many thanks,
> George Burke 1977
> > FC31SB Charlotte
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Curt Sprenger
> > To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> >
> > Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 11:00 AM
> > Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Ford 534 C.I. Gas
> Bird
> >
> > George,
> >
> > Our previous 'Bird, '74 FC31, had the 534 gas
> engine. I did most of the
> > maintenance, no gear changes.
> >
> > Gas mileage and performance
> improvements...upgraded the distributor to
> > the Pertronix breakerless, new plugs/wires/coil,
> removed the factory
> > installed governor & carburetor stuff and
> installed a 750 Holley
> > carburetor.
> >
> > I never let the tank get below 1/3.
> >
> > Curt Sprenger
> > 1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
> > Anaheim Hills, Calif.
> >
> > George Burke wrote:
> >
> > > My new to me 1977 FC31 gas powered Bird needs a
> little help. Would love
> > > to hear from anyone who has ,or now owns a gas
> powered Bluebird that
> > > came with a Ford 534 C.I. engine. Issues are
> what did you do to improve
> > > mpg.Did you ever have the rear gear ratio
> changed? If you had a 100
> > > gallon tank, did you run out of gas at 90 gal.,
> (in other words, thats
> > > all it would take when we ran out!)Any help,i.e
> (if you do your own
> > > mechanic work, or where if you had work done by
> someone else), would be
> > > appreciated. George Burke 1977 FC31SB Charlotte
> > >
> > >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
> >
> >
>
>




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