Driving across the USA

[MRR41 COUPE]

Thanks for the information and I agree with you 100%. My car has been redone with  a frame off restoration. Everything was replaced or rebuilt. I do plan on carrying extra parts. I live near the Chicago area, and I hope to be drving it this summer. The western trip can wait a year or two. I hope  your still driving your car as much as ever and can share more of your travel stories.

[TodFitch]

They used to have leaner main jets fitted to cars that were in high elevation states like Colorado. And if you live there you might want to consider that.

However, it really is not necessary for cars that are only visiting or "passing through". In 1978 I drove my 1933 PD (stock 190 cu. in. displacement) across the country -- Maryland to Wisconsin, then down to Texas, west to Arizona, north into Nevada, crossing Donner Summit (about 8000 feet) in to California, etc. Long hot runs in the desert were more of an issue than the high elevations (I had some issues with cooling that are now rectified).

I now live at sea level in the San Francisco Bay Area but do take the car up into the Sierra Nevada for tours that go above 7000 feet and sometimes above 8000 feet. I don't have any issues with that even though the car has a standard main jet.

For a long trip like you are planning, I'd worry more about having the car in good general mechanical shape. And then, in addition to a cell phone and AAA+ card, I'd take the small items you can fix on the side of the road: Spare light bulbs, distributor rotor, points. And maybe a spare water pump or fuel pump, but those are getting into the category of "big, heavy, and can be shipped to me if I need them" types of things.

The main thing to take with you is the attitude that this is a fun trip and any break downs or other issues that come up are an adventure rather than a problem.

[MRR41 COUPE]

I thought that I would start a new subject. I plan on taking my 1941 plymouth coupe from the midwest to the west coast. I had made this trip in a 1978 plymouth and know that cars don't run well at higher elevations. I have a carter B+B with only a idol adjustment. I been wondering if their are different jets that were made for different states. I know there were plymouths sold in the great state of Colorado. I would love to here from those that have made the trip in their stock 201 ci flatheads. What kind of troubles did you have and what did you do to fix the problem. Tell us about the best part of the trip.

Thanks,
Mike