Sambo42xa,
In 2015 I drove my mostly stock '51 3100 from AZ to Kansas City, one way 1200 miles to a truck show. I did it in 2 1/2 days, driving only during daylight since my stock truck only has the one tail light and no signal lights (other drivers have to see my hand signals, even if they don't know what they mean). I drove 55-57 mph, tried to stay off the interstate highways and freeways, but that was not always possible. Brief moments of 65mph were attained in order to change lanes on the freeway interchanges (some of the KC freeways dump you into the fast left lane). I learned that you, indeed, have intermittent wipers with the stock vacuum wipers (heading into the wind at highway speed during a rainstorm the wipers quit due to nearly wide open throttle--you just let up on the accelerator momentarily to let the wipers clear the windshield).
The return trip was just as fun, except I started to have flat tires. Coker radials, as all radials apparently, have an aluminized label on the inside. When paired with the radial inner tubes that come with the tires you end up with a tube leak after heating up the tires. I had the tires for two years prior with no problems but never ran them all day before.
I came back with a nice trophy. Not the kind for a pretty truck (my 25 year old paint job was nowhere near nice enough to compete with the other trucks, besides there were these big ugly Texas grasshoppers stuck all over the front. I didn't even bother to wash it for the show). I came back with the trophy for "Longest driven" out of the other 250 trucks.
I checked out my truck as best I knew how (compression, had done recent brake work, maintenance, ect.). I carried some extra parts such as water pump and a set of tools. One shouldn't be surprised, as back then people traveled those distances all the time with similar cars and trucks.
Kent
Last edited by Lightholder's Dad; 03/09/2022 3:47 AM.
