The Ford Barn

51 MERC-CT · 03-31-2017, 01:43 PM

Ran across this, it seems to mention everything but what it got for gas mileage.
Anyone have any information?

rotorwrench · 03-31-2017, 02:01 PM

Typical manufacturers propaganda of the day. My old family 1951 Mercury with 3-speed OD trans did well enough on gas for what it was. Out on the highway, it did around 16 to 18 MPG but in town, it was relatively average at around 11 to 13 MPG. Overall average was around 15 MPG but that's not bad for a heavy car with only a 255 CID motor rated at 112 HP.

RalphG · 03-31-2017, 02:24 PM

The 1950 Mercury did very well in comparison to the other cars in the 1950 test. I have a book (Brooklands Road Test Limited Edition Mercury) which is mostly excerpts from magazine articles like Motor Trend , etc. They came up with a figure from the Mobilgas Economy run of 26.52 mpg. They based the Mercury's winning the award on a basis of most ton miles per gallon. (Weight of the car and passengers in tons multiplied by the miles traveled, divided by the amount of gas consumed.)

Ol' Ron · 03-31-2017, 02:55 PM

Drove my 60 Merc from Conn to Wisconsin back in 56 with my new bride. She kept track of the expenses, got arouns 17mPG Since then I've been very consis of the Fuel economy of our Flatheads, Richards 276/L-100 got 21 in an all around test. My stock 280 in the truck is down to 16 in the hill climb I did this summer. Will check it again this year.

TJ · 03-31-2017, 02:58 PM

Ol'Ron how did you drive a '60 Merc back in '56?

Paul Bennett · 03-31-2017, 03:28 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

A previous owner of my current samo-samo car claims he typically got 24 mpg on the road.

My original 3-spd 50 Merc got 15-18 hwy. Typically 13-15 in town.

In fact every carbonated car I've ever owned got 15 max, and some got between 9 and 10mpg between fillups, like those Olds 98s and Cad Eldos.

37don · 03-31-2017, 03:29 PM

That's because he has always been ahead of the times!

JSeery · 03-31-2017, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Bennett

A previous owner of my current samo-samo car claims he typically got 24 mpg on the road.

My original 3-spd 50 Merc got 15-18 hwy. Typically 13-15 in town.

In fact every carbonated car I've ever owned got 15 max, and some got between 9 and 10mpg between fillups, like those Olds 98s and Cad Eldos.

Some of that is gearing, but I always got somewhere in the 8 to 10 mpg with the Ford trucks I have owned. My current 73 is a 4:11 400m and gets around 8 mpg.

RalphG · 03-31-2017, 09:28 PM

In the one and only road trip I took with my 52 Merc last summer I averaged 15 to 16 mpg (Canadian gallons) which I thought was pretty good. Gravel roads and a brief tour through town. Total about a 30 mile round trip. doubt I went over 50 mph at most. Its a merc-o-matic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1oWm3IfzfU

mike42 · 04-01-2017, 02:03 AM

I'm sure the overdrive had a big influence on getting such good mileage. I remember checking my '50 coupe back in the day and I was only getting about 12 mpg. Gas was only 20 cents a galllon ! A friend of mine had a car with overdrive and we seemed to drive forever on $1 worth of gas !!!! We each put in 50 cents to drive around Friday nights !

51 MERC-CT · 04-01-2017, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RalphG

The 1950 Mercury did very well in comparison to the other cars in the 1950 test. I have a book (Brooklands Road Test Limited Edition Mercury) which is mostly excerpts from magazine articles like Motor Trend , etc. They came up with a figure from the Mobilgas Economy run of 26.52 mpg. They based the Mercury's winning the award on a basis of most ton miles per gallon. (Weight of the car and passengers in tons multiplied by the miles traveled, divided by the amount of gas consumed.)

Yes, some pertinent information. And it sort of mirrors the 24.5 MPG that my OD equipped '51 Merc. got on a 350+ mile trip back in '57.

Ol' Ron · 04-01-2017, 08:25 AM

It's bad enough my eyesight is bad, but my fingers can't see any better. Pobody iz nerfect.

flatford8 · 04-01-2017, 08:27 AM

"Yes, some pertinent information. And it sort of mirrors the 24.5 MPG that my OD equipped '51 Merc. got on a 350+ mile trip back in '57."
Was that the same car you have now?...... Mark

Kurt in NJ · 04-01-2017, 08:38 AM

The stock 49 Merc enging I had averaged 15 mpg on a 4 day coast to coast trip---it was in a 46 ton&1/2 box truck with a 2 ton load, ---driven easy the truck would get 18 with the 2 ton load, I am amazed at the poor fuel mileage accepted my many "restored" car owners

51 MERC-CT · 04-01-2017, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flatford8

"Yes, some pertinent information. And it sort of mirrors the 24.5 MPG that my OD equipped '51 Merc. got on a 350+ mile trip back in '57."
Was that the same car you have now?...... Mark

No, not the same car. Can remember selling that one for $150 and a canoe.

rotorwrench · 04-01-2017, 02:50 PM

Most of the trips we took in the old 51 were from south western Kansas to Denver, Colorado. We would get 15 going up hill and 18 going back down. It was a shallow climb all the way up there. About 2000 foot change in altitude.

03-31-2017, 01:43 PM	#1
51 MERC-CT Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: East Hartford, Ct Posts: 5,898	50 merc gas mileage Ran across this, it seems to mention everything but what it got for gas mileage. Anyone have any information? __________________ DON'T RECALL DOING SOMETHING FOR MYSELF BASED ON SOMEONE ELSE'S LIKES OR DISLIKES

03-31-2017, 02:01 PM	#2
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,431	Re: 50 merc gas mileage Typical manufacturers propaganda of the day. My old family 1951 Mercury with 3-speed OD trans did well enough on gas for what it was. Out on the highway, it did around 16 to 18 MPG but in town, it was relatively average at around 11 to 13 MPG. Overall average was around 15 MPG but that's not bad for a heavy car with only a 255 CID motor rated at 112 HP.

03-31-2017, 02:24 PM	#3
RalphG Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Sask. Canada Posts: 2,424	Re: 50 merc gas mileage The 1950 Mercury did very well in comparison to the other cars in the 1950 test. I have a book (Brooklands Road Test Limited Edition Mercury) which is mostly excerpts from magazine articles like Motor Trend , etc. They came up with a figure from the Mobilgas Economy run of 26.52 mpg. They based the Mercury's winning the award on a basis of most ton miles per gallon. (Weight of the car and passengers in tons multiplied by the miles traveled, divided by the amount of gas consumed.) __________________ https://www.youtube.com/user/roosty6/videos

03-31-2017, 02:55 PM	#4
Ol' Ron Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Chester Vt Posts: 8,860	Re: 50 merc gas mileage Drove my 60 Merc from Conn to Wisconsin back in 56 with my new bride. She kept track of the expenses, got arouns 17mPG Since then I've been very consis of the Fuel economy of our Flatheads, Richards 276/L-100 got 21 in an all around test. My stock 280 in the truck is down to 16 in the hill climb I did this summer. Will check it again this year.

03-31-2017, 02:58 PM	#5
TJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Napa,California Posts: 6,037	Re: 50 merc gas mileage Ol'Ron how did you drive a '60 Merc back in '56?

03-31-2017, 03:28 PM	#6
Paul Bennett Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 628	Re: 50 merc gas mileage Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) A previous owner of my current samo-samo car claims he typically got 24 mpg on the road. My original 3-spd 50 Merc got 15-18 hwy. Typically 13-15 in town. In fact every carbonated car I've ever owned got 15 max, and some got between 9 and 10mpg between fillups, like those Olds 98s and Cad Eldos.

03-31-2017, 03:29 PM	#7
37don Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Kingstown, R.I. Posts: 262	Re: 50 merc gas mileage That's because he has always been ahead of the times!

03-31-2017, 09:28 PM	#9
RalphG Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Sask. Canada Posts: 2,424	Re: 50 merc gas mileage In the one and only road trip I took with my 52 Merc last summer I averaged 15 to 16 mpg (Canadian gallons) which I thought was pretty good. Gravel roads and a brief tour through town. Total about a 30 mile round trip. doubt I went over 50 mph at most. Its a merc-o-matic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1oWm3IfzfU __________________ https://www.youtube.com/user/roosty6/videos

04-01-2017, 02:03 AM	#10
mike42 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Gaylord, Michigan Posts: 1,605	Re: 50 merc gas mileage I'm sure the overdrive had a big influence on getting such good mileage. I remember checking my '50 coupe back in the day and I was only getting about 12 mpg. Gas was only 20 cents a galllon ! A friend of mine had a car with overdrive and we seemed to drive forever on $1 worth of gas !!!! We each put in 50 cents to drive around Friday nights !

04-01-2017, 08:25 AM	#12
Ol' Ron Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Chester Vt Posts: 8,860	Re: 50 merc gas mileage It's bad enough my eyesight is bad, but my fingers can't see any better. Pobody iz nerfect.

04-01-2017, 08:27 AM	#13
flatford8 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Lyman,ME. Posts: 2,629	Re: 50 merc gas mileage "Yes, some pertinent information. And it sort of mirrors the 24.5 MPG that my OD equipped '51 Merc. got on a 350+ mile trip back in '57." Was that the same car you have now?...... Mark __________________ I'm thinkin' about crankin' My ragged ol' truck up and haulin' myself into town. Billy Joe Shaver

04-01-2017, 08:38 AM	#14
Kurt in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: on the Littlefield Posts: 6,159	Re: 50 merc gas mileage The stock 49 Merc enging I had averaged 15 mpg on a 4 day coast to coast trip---it was in a 46 ton&1/2 box truck with a 2 ton load, ---driven easy the truck would get 18 with the 2 ton load, I am amazed at the poor fuel mileage accepted my many "restored" car owners

04-01-2017, 02:50 PM	#16
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,431	Re: 50 merc gas mileage Most of the trips we took in the old 51 were from south western Kansas to Denver, Colorado. We would get 15 going up hill and 18 going back down. It was a shallow climb all the way up there. About 2000 foot change in altitude.