DD, make the guy pull your other leg to even them out. I’ve had a few 396’s and 454’s over the years and 10 mpg was the norm, uphill, down hill, with the wind or against it. All the same.
I also asked my stepdad (Pop) because he was a mechanic for most of his life and saw nearly every conceivable car they made back in the day. I talked to him last night, and he basically said what you're saying. Great engine that never got good mileage no matter how you had it setup. He said with today's crappy gas it'll make it worse. Not like the old days when you could get super premium leaded at Union 76 that was purple from the nozzle. He said the only way to get good mileage out of it would be to boost the octane a lot, but then it really hurts the wallet.
So after much thought, it looks like vortec 350 has one out on this one. I put vortec heads on the engine in my '81 3/4 ton and it has good power with 4.10 gears. A stock 350 can push the 3.54's just fine, so a vortec should be able do better.
Thanks everyone for steering me away from the 396 and back to the vortec 350.
