July issue of hot Rod Magazine has an article on "Commuter Rods" by the editor-in-chief, David Freiburger. They are looking for photo's of pre-1975 cars that folks drive every day. I think there are some qualifying cars on the forum. Send your photos that prove it to HOTROD@primedia.com

The article states "We don't care if they are beaters, perfect restos, bone stockers, fully modified rods, or works in progress as long as you truly drive them every day. We'll compile the best of them in the Bench Racing section, showing the world that rodders don't give up in the face of gas prices".

Then in the new Sept. issue under the Bench Racing section a guy (Mark Huppertz, NM) suggests building a mpg car using an aluminum block Sl 6 and lightweight body panels. He says:

"It would be a great coup d'etat to build a Feather Duster Clone using an aluminum block slant six and lightweight body panels to achieve the 36 mpg figure that mother(?) was touting in 1976. I think it might be possible to use a TBI in place of the carburetor to maybe push the mileage higher (to preserve the vaporizing level and ram effect of the Slant Six's long runner intake). There's a good use for your project Duster! Turbo, maybe?"

I hear opportunity for the Sl 6 community knocking here. My aluminum block 63 auto w/ 3:23's only gets about 20 mpg and I don't drive it every day. I read some posts here of 30 + mpg. FYI.

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'63 Valiant V200 Convertible
225 Aluminum Block

Poor guy missed the point, the lightening panels of the feather duster only drop 200lbs tops out of a heavy 1976 Duster's weight (the car stock weighs about 3200 lbs with full tank of gas...), a 1968 Barracuda is just as aerodynamic and should drop another 200 lbs out of it... TBI will not be a help as the mileage is 'assisted' by the fat timing curve, the OD tranny, and the diligent use of an EGR that comes on at cruise (this lowers the displacement of the engine by introducing inert gas and also uses the exhaust gases to reduce combustion chamber temps and knock back the detonation that can occur when running the engine with that much timing at load at such a low rpm range A-833OD+2.94)

Too bad I can't send mine in, since it's a 1976 Feather Duster and not a pre-75....

-D.Idiot

I don't think the "pre-1975" is set in stone. The exact wording was "We'd like to see cars older than, say '75 or so".

I think that makes 1976 a candidate. If you drive it as an every day car, go for it.

I'm thinking an early Valiant 100 2-door with a 3 on the tree and 2.96 gear would be a good candidate too.

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'63 Valiant V200 Convertible
225 Aluminum Block

I drive mine every day but my milage is in the mid teens.
I e-mailed them some pics any way.

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where is Sam and Lou?

they have streetable sixes right?

and they are very well thought out, and clean.

seems like a perfect fit.

Whether they do anything with my info or not, I sent them some pics anyways..

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Barret-Jackson: Ruining the car hobby for everyone!

Update - saw 2 slants in the "Commuter Rod" article - a '72 Swinger and a '65 Barracuda. I really liked the pic of the Ford Mustang 200 6 cyl. with 3 dueces and a split header, though it would look better on a Slant 6.

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'63 Valiant V200 Convertible
225 Aluminum Block