How many miles per gallon does a 1983 Ford f100 get?
A 1983 Ford F-100 generally delivers fuel economy in the mid-teens, with typical ranges around 12–18 mpg depending on engine, transmission, and whether it’s 2WD or 4WD.
The 1983 F-100 offered multiple engines and drivetrains, from a six-cylinder inline-6 to V8 options, plus two- and four-wheel drive. Because of that variety, there isn’t a single MPG figure for the model year. The figures below reflect common configurations and how owners and contemporaneous tests reported fuel economy at the time. Use these as a guide, remembering that actual mileage depends on condition, gearing, payload, and driving style.
Common configurations and typical mpg ranges
These ranges reflect typical setups from 1983 F-100 trucks and show how much economy varied by engine and drivetrain. They also illustrate how four-wheel drive generally reduces mpg compared with two-wheel drive.
- Inline-6 engine (4.9 L / 300) with 2WD: highway 16–20 mpg; city 12–15 mpg; combined 14–18 mpg. Four-wheel drive versions typically lower by about 2–3 mpg.
- Small-block V8 (302 cu in / 5.0 L) with 2WD: highway 14–18 mpg; city 11–13 mpg; combined 13–16 mpg. Four-wheel drive lowers by about 1–2 mpg.
- Big-block V8 (351 Windsor / 5.8 L) with 2WD: highway 13–16 mpg; city 9–12 mpg; combined 11–14 mpg. Four-wheel drive lowers by about 1–3 mpg.
These estimates are broad historical ranges and actual results depend on factors such as payload, tire size, gearing, transmission choice, maintenance, and driving conditions.
Estimating your own MPG for a 1983 F-100 today
To determine your truck’s current fuel economy, use the following practical steps. They apply whether you’re restoring the truck or driving it in daily use and help you capture real-world performance.
- Fill the fuel tank completely and reset a trip odometer (or note the odometer reading).
- Drive normally until you’re near empty, ideally across a representative mix of highway and city driving to average out conditions.
- Refill the tank and record the number of gallons added and the miles driven (from the trip odometer or odometer).
- Calculate mpg as miles driven divided by gallons used for that tank, and repeat over several tanks to obtain a reliable average.
- Consider factors that can skew numbers, such as heavy loads, towing, improper tire pressure, or maintenance issues (air filter, ignition, carburetor, and fuel system).
Concluding thought: For a classic pickup like the 1983 F-100, expect mid-teens overall, with better efficiency on lighter inline-6 configurations and somewhat lower figures on larger V8s, especially with four-wheel drive.
Summary
In practice, a 1983 Ford F-100’s fuel economy varies by engine and drivetrain, but most examples sit around 12–18 mpg, commonly in the mid-teens. If you own one today, your actual mileage depends on maintenance, driving style, and configuration; use tank-to-tank measurements to determine your specific figure.
