Everyone has their own level of confidence when it comes to taking long trips.
There are many variables.
-Have you done everything to your truck to make it road worthy?
-Do you know what "road worthy" actually entails?
-Are you capable of troubleshooting and making necessary repairs on the road? Do you have AAA if not capable?
-It really boils down to confidence, preparedness, and knowing ones limitations.
It ain't for everyone. If it were, everyone would be doing it.
In the past, I have driven a bone stock '52 3100 to Illinois from Virginia Beach and back on two separate trips. That's 900 miles one way, and I drove it straight through except for a 20 minute power nap or two.
I ran that 216 powered truck at 55-60 MPH on the interstate. Some would describe the engine/road noise as loud. Well so was a Grand Funk Railroad concert, and I enjoyed that noise as well.
On my final trip back from Illinois, I made it to North Carolina when the headlights got dim. I parked it on a hill and waited until morning to see why it wasn't charging. I started with the generator, and reached in with a fingernail and pulled the brushes off of the commutator and let the springs snap the brushes back onto the commutator. I pushed the truck down the hill, popped the clutch and it started right up and showed a charge. Down the road I went. If I hadn't known how generator brushes worked, I would have been in a pickle. I have a Chevrolet Truck Repair Manual and I read it like some read the Bible. Everything is in there. You just need to study it.
