If you are going to spend over a grand on it you might consider a FiTech or Holley Sniper self tuning 2bbl TBI fuel injection. Instant start hot or cold, dead smooth from idle to WOT, and almost always an increase in fuel mileage. You said some long distance traveling and the FI runs the same on a mountain top as at sea level. There is more work to install with the main things being exhaust O2 sensor bung and high pressure pump---preferably in gas tank.
