Phantom overheating

[53k]

At our recent chapter fun day I put a little over 100 miles on the '64 Daytona convertible. I hadn't driven it more than 15 or 20 miles at a time before. It had always run cool. But, on this trip the temperature gauge needle went almost to the top even at moderate speeds on a 70-degree day. It didn't boil over though. I had contacted the PPO (previous, previous owner) on some questions about the car. When I mentioned it running hot he told me it never ran hot for him. He suggested that maybe the temp gauge was wrong. So, yesterday I went down to move the car- hadn't been run in a couple weeks. Sure 'nuff, when I turned on the ignition, it went to about the 3/4 hot position. So, do I suspect the sender or the gauge (or is there somthing else that could cause this mis-read)?

[img=right]http://www.frontiernet.net/~thejohnsons/Forum%20signature%20pix/R-4.JPG[/img=right][img=right]http://www.frontiernet.net/~thejohnsons/Forum%20signature%20pix/64L.JPG[/img=right][img=right]http://www.frontiernet.net/~thejohnsons/Forum%20signature%20pix/64P.jpg[/img=right][img=right]http://www.frontiernet.net/~thejohnsons/Forum%20signature%20pix/53K.jpg[/img=right]Paul Johnson
'53 Commander Starliner (since 1966)
'64 Daytona Wagonaire (original owner)
'64 Daytona Convertible (2006)
Museum R-4 engine

[Dick Steinkamp]

quote:Originally posted by 53k
(or is there somthing else that could cause this mis-read)?

The only other thing I can think of is that the car was on fire at the time.

[)]

[StudeRich]

Paul; my thought is: that if the needle goes below cold when off, and goes up to 3/4 when turned on the gauge works. The sender is bad or the wire is grounded on the block or has a bad connection.

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA