Studebaker Gas Mileage Tester

[lstude]

This item is on eBay. It is a Studebaker gas mileage tester.

Has anyone ever seen one of these or heard of a dealer using one?

I can't imagine anyone driving a car with this thing hanging on the passenger side window full of gas.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=003&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=130077982780&rd=1,1

Leonard Shepherd, editor, The Commanding Leader, Central Virginia Chapter, http://centralvirginiachapter.org/

[brigand]

Very often, a customer would come in and complain of excessive fuel consumption on a vehicle. This would be especially true if the vehicle was new and under warranty, as then all checks and adjustments would usually be performed for free.
I remember a particular case (I was a very young helper in this shop at the time) we had at a GM dealer, where the father had bought his son a new Malibu with a 283. Of course, the son drove this pretty agressively, then would explain away to his Dad the terrible fuel mileage by blaming the car.
His father, as all fathers, believed the kid, and kept harping at the service department about how crappy a car he had bought. After several attempts to improve the mileage, the mileage tester was finally dusted off and installed, and the vehicle was tested over various driving conditions. the mileage ended up being in the low 20's, quite acceptable for this vehicle. We never heard a muileage complaint from this Dad again.
So, crude as they may look, they did work! Imagine the EPA using something like that today. They probably would be a lot more accurate in their findings.
Bernie

[brigand]

Very often, a customer would come in and complain of excessive fuel consumption on a vehicle. This would be especially true if the vehicle was new and under warranty, as then all checks and adjustments would usually be performed for free.
I remember a particular case (I was a very young helper in this shop at the time) we had at a GM dealer, where the father had bought his son a new Malibu with a 283. Of course, the son drove this pretty agressively, then would explain away to his Dad the terrible fuel mileage by blaming the car.
His father, as all fathers, believed the kid, and kept harping at the service department about how crappy a car he had bought. After several attempts to improve the mileage, the mileage tester was finally dusted off and installed, and the vehicle was tested over various driving conditions. the mileage ended up being in the low 20's, quite acceptable for this vehicle. We never heard a muileage complaint from this Dad again.
So, crude as they may look, they did work! Imagine the EPA using something like that today. They probably would be a lot more accurate in their findings.
Bernie

[JDP]

I've had two of them over the years from old dealer inventories.

64 Commander 2 dr.
64 Daytona HT
63 R2 4 speed GT Hawk (Black) #2
63 Avanti R1
63 Daytona convert
63 Lark 2 door
63 Lark 2 door #2
62 Daytona HT/ 4 speed
62 Lark 2 door
62 GT Hawk 4 speed
60 Lark HT
60 Hawk
59 3E truck
52 Starliner
51 Commander

[JDP]

I've had two of them over the years from old dealer inventories.

64 Commander 2 dr.
64 Daytona HT
63 R2 4 speed GT Hawk (Black) #2
63 Avanti R1
63 Daytona convert
63 Lark 2 door
63 Lark 2 door #2
62 Daytona HT/ 4 speed
62 Lark 2 door
62 GT Hawk 4 speed
60 Lark HT
60 Hawk
59 3E truck
52 Starliner
51 Commander