Chevrolet Repair: Mileage, chevy 350 engine, gas mileage

Question
Tom,

I am looking at a vehicle-- it has a stock 1982 Chevy 350 engine with a 2 barrel carb--hooked to a TH350 auto trans and has 2.73 gears in the rear end.
The engine has headers.

The vehicle weighs around 2000 lbs.

I am a senior citizen and drive very smoothly.

What kind of mileage do you think I will get with this vehicle?

Is there anything I can do to increase the gas mileage?

Thank you.

Answer
HI MIKE,THIS SHOULD GET GOOD GAS MIL IF YOU DO NOT OPEN THIS UP ALL THE TIME..ARE YOU SURE THE GEAR RATIO IS 2:73 AND NOT 3:73 ?? NO SUCH GEAR RATIO OF 2:73, IF STOCK. MORE LIKELY 2:42 THIS SHOULD GET GOOD GAS MIL.3:73 IS A GOOD ALL AROUND RATIO. ANY RATIO IN THE 2'S WILL BE GOOD FOR THE OPEN ROAD. 3:73 IS GOOD FOR CITY AND OPEN ROAD COMBO..  AS FOR INCREASING THE MIL,MAKE SURE SURE ALL TUNE UP PARTS ARE GOOD AND SET TO SPECS. THE FACT THIS CAR WEIGHS 2000 LBS IT SHOULD GET REAL GOOD MIL 20 TO 25 I WOULD GUESS.NOT BAD FOR A V8. GOOD LUCK TO YOU...TOM