Got some good news to report!

[Stude Shoo-wop!]

After getting over some initial trepidation, my dad and I went ahead and drove my GT Hawk to my aunt's house for a family visit. As a round trip, it was some 450 miles in distance. I packed my toolkit, extra coolant, and extra oil, but I didn't need any of them for the whole trip. Besides that, after making some calculations in my handy-dandy log book, I have recorded a new efficiency hi-score of 19.7 MPG from that hoary old 289 cu. V8. I think that speaks not only to our ideal driving conditions but also the sound engineering and great build quality of the engine itself. The rest of the car performed just as well by the way.

In addition, the scenery reminded me of when Florida was still wild and untamed. When French Huguenots, Spaniards, and early Americans alike were flabbergasted at what this land had to offer and often died for it at the hands of pestilence, famine, or natives. It occurred to me that this might just be the first time that a Studebaker had visited some of those roads since the covered-wagon days. Therefore, I am also a pioneer driving his Studebaker wagon towards glory, except mine has many more horses on tap!

[StudeRich]

Wow, if it was THAT untamed, you must have driven to Alaska! Although, it SHOULD have been a bit more than 225 Miles away!

Congrats on a good, safe and inexpensive trip, Gas is even down lately.

[sals54]

That is a great adventure done well. Its always with a little trepidation that we take our first long distance jaunts from home in our "old cars". Sometimes though, we need these outings to refresh our memories of why we own, build, repair, restore and love these old machines.
We should also remember that these days are numbered. How much longer can we dare to take these cars out on the road? Be it, age, our age and our cars age, the speed of the highways getting faster, ( the freeways around here are always moving at or near 80 mph ), and the laws that keep getting threatened in trying to keep our smog puking antiques off the highway and out of the pristine air. Smoke em if ya gottem. May come a time when we can't. Remember smoking? Almost gone now.

[52-fan]

The first long trip is always a special one. Lots of checking the gauges and listening. It is a great feeling to get there with no trouble.

[BobPalma]

Good show, Jake; congratulations. Many thumbs-up along the way, I presume. BP

[StudeNewby]

Good form, Jake, good form!

[voxnut]

That's awesome! Congrats!

[Hallabutt]

Jake,

Good for you, well done! Driving your car shouldn't be a reason for concern. It's just a matter of common sense, preparation, and most important a reliable car as a companion. Once you've developed confidence in your companion the sky's the limit. When some of us were young we used these for transportation. They were often all we had. Things have changed a bit, over the last sixty years, but freeways existed then, congestion was still a problem, but like today there were back roads to take, and adventures to have. You seem to have it covered, keep it up you won't regret it.-Bill

[Noxnabaker]

As some might know I've had many many different cars, I always curious, & while I had my first mini coopers I fixed one of them by a guys garage & he had racedriven & worked on them since they came to Sweden & going with him was pure fun; he would only use the brakes by a red trafic light or parking, the rest was gearshifting!
& he said "when it comes to old cars you have to drive them hard, otherwise they brake down all the time!" & I think he had a point: if you do'nt give them a "hard" time sometimes you won't notice the problems untill it's to late, & if you keep brakes & suspension + the rest in good order you can drive it like any other car.
I do it & I'm keeping up with trafic.

Anyway your story just shows it Jake!

[Commander Eddie]

Right after getting my '61 Champ truck I took it on a 2,000 mile trip and it never gave a lick of trouble. So, I am not terribly surprised that your Hawk was trouble free on your adventure. I hope you have many more great trips in your gem.

[6hk71400]

Just consider that a test run for the International Meet in Ohio.

Bob Miles
Pacific Southwest Zone Coordinator

[Buzzard]

What a great New Years treat to have done your trip successfully. Post pics if you have any.
Cheers,
Bill

[Hawklover]

Sal, that is why until I die or the car gets sold, I will continue to run the Avanti on a healthy diet of TEL mixed with 93 Sunoco pump gas.

That is a great adventure done well. Its always with a little trepidation that we take our first long distance jaunts from home in our "old cars". Sometimes though, we need these outings to refresh our memories of why we own, build, repair, restore and love these old machines.
We should also remember that these days are numbered. How much longer can we dare to take these cars out on the road? Be it, age, our age and our cars age, the speed of the highways getting faster, ( the freeways around here are always moving at or near 80 mph ), and the laws that keep getting threatened in trying to keep our smog puking antiques off the highway and out of the pristine air. Smoke em if ya gottem. May come a time when we can't. Remember smoking? Almost gone now.