Road trip report
Posted by Mark Buckley On 2011/9/15 12:26:15
I have just returned from a trip of more than 2,000 miles from Seattle to Sacramento and back. My 1950 Standard Eight performed exceptionally well despite some challenging conditions. I believe the new electronic ignition played a part in this.
I traveled south through interior Oregon and took the Packard to the 7,900-foot-high summit at Crater Lake. I got there with power to spare. I did experience some vapor lock at the lower altitudes (where the air temperature was higher), but flipping on the auxiliary electric fuel pump cured that problem. The engine did well in California temperatures approaching 100 but I confess it was so damn hot in the cab that I left a very moist print on the wool upholstery.
I traveled the coastal route on the trip north; car and driver both appreciated the lower temperatures.
I've owned this car since 2004 and have put nearly 30,000 miles on her since then. I'd have to say that in terms of travel ease this trip was the best thus far. The car accelerated very well and the engine ran smoothly despite the fact I was unable to find any ethanol-free gas while en route.
When I bought the car in 2004 I collected it in Northern California. I wrote about the original drive to Seattle in the attached article. Re-reading it tells me how far I've come. Of course, spending more than $40,000 on that damn car has probably been a factor, too.
All the best,
Mark
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I traveled south through interior Oregon and took the Packard to the 7,900-foot-high summit at Crater Lake. I got there with power to spare. I did experience some vapor lock at the lower altitudes (where the air temperature was higher), but flipping on the auxiliary electric fuel pump cured that problem. The engine did well in California temperatures approaching 100 but I confess it was so damn hot in the cab that I left a very moist print on the wool upholstery.
I traveled the coastal route on the trip north; car and driver both appreciated the lower temperatures.
I've owned this car since 2004 and have put nearly 30,000 miles on her since then. I'd have to say that in terms of travel ease this trip was the best thus far. The car accelerated very well and the engine ran smoothly despite the fact I was unable to find any ethanol-free gas while en route.
When I bought the car in 2004 I collected it in Northern California. I wrote about the original drive to Seattle in the attached article. Re-reading it tells me how far I've come. Of course, spending more than $40,000 on that damn car has probably been a factor, too.
All the best,
Mark
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