Yep, I'll admit it, I'm "old" in body in some respects, with respect to others in here. "Young" is other ways.
I'm old enough to remember 13 cent/gallon GulfTane (the original sub-regular octane level) gas of the middle 1960s, when I was in Junior High School. I remember how the gas prices escalated and purchases restricted (as to amount per purchase, due to rationing) during the fuel embargo of 1974. When people with larger cars (and 25 gallon tanks) saw the cost to fill the tank rise to levels unseen at that time. One national lodging chain (now gone, Days Inn) put in gas pumps at their motels so that guests could fill up before they left the next morning.
I also remember how the company shuttle bus was crowded as people went out to eat at lunch, but when local gas prices hit $2.00/gallon, that "crowd" was observed to be bringing brown bags for lunch, consistently.
Most current cars now only have 16-18 gallon fuel tanks compared to the prior (up to 26.5 gallon tanks, in some cases), and get much better fuel economy than back then. Not a big deal to only buy 8-9 gallons at a time, for me, keeping the transaction prices lower. This also ensures I don't drive around with a tank full of higher-priced gas during the typical 40cent/gallon fuel prices spikes in this area. So I enjoy the decreases, but also noting signals the price will be spiked by the next morning.
My sensitivities to these things might be different from others of any age. For young people, these prices and variations are their "norm", as that's what they are growing up with. Which also relates to generations which came along after I was born. Just the way things are, whether it is fuel prices, climate issues, or other things.
One thing I liked about Chrysler products was that they generally got better fuel economy on trips than similar Ford or GM cars. Might have been 17mpg rather than 15mpg, but it was better, ro do the same things with less money. When I say "trips", I'm talking about "hours" rather than "minutes" of higher-speed Interstate highway travel, rather than a leisurely "drive in the country on a Sunday afternoon". So fuel costs to do these things have always been important to me, throughout my advancing-age life. I prefer highway cruising rather than 1/8 or 1/4 mile sprints from a stopped position. Just my preferences.
I have also witnessed the OEM 500cid engines from Cadillac and such. Plus the Chevy 502s in 3/4ton pickup trucks. In the case of the Cadillac 472/500, the consensus was that if you could afford one of those cars, you could afford the fuel it took to drive them, but in the case of the 502 Chevies, those were "work trucks" and usually pulled heavier trailers to the job sites.
The amusing thing on the Chevies was that many bought them with a manual transmission, with the (not admitted to) intent of expecting to do giant smokey dually burnouts. They soon discovered that the computer would not allow that, decreasing power to save the drivetrain. But the automatics, in gear, would do burnouts. Try a neutal-drop, no fun. There were also some "secret codes" in the vehicle computer memory of such things being tried, too.
Perhaps I'm being a bit too "logical", but with the millions of new residents into the DFW area in the past 20 years, previously empty massive freeways are now full of 35mph parking lots several times a day. The formerly-country roads where we used to be able to safely "play" or "do testing" are now wider and lined with $400K+ residences. Traffic density has increased to where it is hard to find an open stretch of road anymore, without driving over an hour to get there. All of the formerly-local area drag strips are now covered in homes. All of these things can tend to make owning a big stroker motor just a talking point of sorts. An expensive one.
NOW I do appreciate all of the modern tech that went into making these motors and the power they can produce when done, but as to really enjoying them, fewer and fewer places to do that every month, where I am. Population will keep expanding, no matter what.
A guy in our Mopar club is building a 543 stroker 440 for an Imperial he has. When done, it will be fully-modern in all aspects as to computerized engine management systems. Sitting in front of a ZF 8-speed automatic. He's in his later 40s and can afford those things. I'm glad for him! He can also afford "good for the size" highway fuel economy, too.
But a 383 will cruise down the highway at 75-90mph just fine, for me. With tire prices also escalating worse that gas prices, "laying rubber" has diminished greatly, for me. Used to be that was a "mark of power", but with all of the turbo 4-cyls and 10-speed automatics (and their deep low gears), "anybody" can do it now, it seems. Heck, even my '05 Buick 200 horsepower V-6 will set the Michelins to "being noisy", if I turn off the Traction Control. With a "crude" 4-speed automatic.
Sorry for the length! I know that everybody can have different orientations and sensitivities on these things, for various reasons, and I respect that. Some of these sensitivities can even be generational, by observation. Everybody's "history" can be different.
Y'all enjoy!
CBODY67
