An overdrive would change your world.
Spinning 451 cubes at 3,000rpm still requires a substantial amount of fuel to obtain 15-15.5 AFR, the shear volume of air you are pumping per minute is substantial.
Well, sure, but I can buy a
lot of pump gas for the $5-6k it would cost me to install one
Especially since I'll probably only drive it a few hundred miles a year...
Don't forget that the throttle is mostly closed (14" vacuum) and the VE is way down. It's not like the cfm is anywhere near what it is at WOT
The amount of fuel you need to run at that rpm is probably what my little Hemi consumes at 100mph in 6th.
Could be, it's a much more efficient and modern engine - although I don't know what body it's in (drag coefficient). My '72 Dart is not quite as aerodynamic as a brick but it's close
