Highlights from the 1952 Mobilgas Economy Run

[@timkis64]

dad had a 51 champion.flathead 6, 3 speed on column, but had a factory direct/overdrive box behind the 3 speed.thats probably what helped the studebaker win.a wider spread of available gear ratio's with a small cid engine.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

What fuel economy did he see in the Champion?

[@billywilliams6853]

We need Studebaker Automobiles.

[@radioguy1620]

thanks for posting , a look at life those days.

[@randyc8171]

The Mobilgas Economy Run winner for 1951 was Lincoln. The huge Lincoln V8 got 25.5 mpg and weighed much more than Studebakers. So the Lincoln was the overall winner figuring Ton Miles per Gallon which is how they figured it back then.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

The Mobil gas economy run used a ton-mile formula designed to take away the inherent advantage of the smaller cars. I doubt if the Lincoln got better than 16 to 18 actual mpg without the formula adjustment.

[@danielestrada1850]

40 mph average speed? That sounds painstakingly slow even by 50s standards.

[@operator91210]

This is 1952 don't forget big interstates haven't been built yet. They were twisting through valleys, climbing canyons and driving through towns. Lower speed limits etc.

[@olgadelgado3988]

El mejor....

[@MrMechanicandy]

Interesting now adays they should do More like this testing electric cars

[@plunkervillerr1529]

Bully bully for stude .

[@pl5624]

Great mileage.but gas was 20 cents economy didn't really matter.

[@pl5624]

@Mck Idyl yet small cars didn't sell then...full size American ones were the leaders.henry j failed too amid the rush for more power.only rambler seemed to survive.

[@bloqk16]

@@pl5624 My recalling the mindset of status-conscious Americans of the 1950s and '60s, they looked down their collective noses at Rambler; as being a cheap line of cars that fuddy-duddies drove. The TV series "Petticoat Junction" character of _Homer Bedloe_ comes to mind.

[@WhollyShirt]

I knew Studebakers were strong, durable and reliable, but did not know they sipped fuel. The bigger Packards certainly did not.

[@jfv65]

The results were not to bad for such behemoths of cars. At the same time Europe had cars like the Morris Minor, the Austin A35, the Citroën 2CV, the VW Beetle, the Renault 4CV and Fiat 500. All those lightweight small cars would have outperformed the numbers mentioned in this video with ease.

[@bloqk16]

And considering the American cars in this economy run was at 40 mph (64 Kph) those European cars could have kept up with ease. I had a 1967 Beetle in the 1970s when the US highway speed limit was at 55 mph (89 Kph), and that speed was very agreeable with that flat-four air-cooled engine.

[@franktatom1837]

​@bloqk16 40 miles per hour AVERAGE speed. A VW at that time, which then had less horsepower than 35 years later, likely could not have traveled on the open road fast enough to meet that average.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

These mileage ratings were extrapolated with a formula that factored in ton-miles and was designed to take away the advantage of the smaller cars. I doubt if the Lincoln got better than 16 to 18 actual mpg without the formula adjustment.

[@studeystudebaker]

yrs a head of their time-------