A TV show does what he is going to do in much much worst cars & trucks.
If all travels went smooth we would not have any stories to tell
Dave ----

 

Ok, after reading all the awesome advice above, It sounds like I should leave the gas tank selection on whatever the owner had it on to drive around and test it when I get it home. Also dont worry about the fuel tank valve until I get it home. Im assuming there's tons of info on this sub-forum about how to fix valve, tank, and tank issues? Are they easy fixes? I'll ask about the tire age. The owner said he bought a new farm truck and had this bullnose parked for the last few months I THINK that's how long it's been parked for. not sure but will find out.

I dont really have a good backup plan for IF it dies on the highway. I just need to drive it for a 100 miles. If I can make 100 miles, ill regardless have AAA tow it home just to be safe.

 

If it was running fine and only parked for 2 or 3 months I’d feel pretty good about such a clean truck going the whole 300 miles no problem. It looks like it’s been taken care of. Couple more thoughts:

- bring a volt meter and check the battery voltage at the terminals to see if the alternator is charging. With the motor running you should see about 14 volts.

- do you need to pass smog / emission testing to register the truck? If so, the factory dual air pumps (thermactor system), stock exhaust manifolds with air injection lines, stock intake, with the EGR plate, EGR valve, and vacuum hoses need to be in place and unmolested. Otherwise if parts are missing or systems modified it could be challenging to pass inspection.

- have you driven a carbed vehicle before? It’s become something of a lost art lol. With todays gas I have noticed a tendency for rich hot restarts after sitting about 15 minutes (thinking the gas vaporizes and settles into the intake). Not a big problem, but the last thing you want to do in this situation is pump the gas pedal because you will flood it. Best to just crack open the throttle about half way and crank on the starter, then let off quickly once it clears and fires off. Otherwise cold starts may require a couple pumps of the gas pedal to set the choke and prime the intake with fuel for the cold start. It’s not hard, but you do need to have a fuel strategy based on conditions (hot motor, cold motor, how long it’s sat since it last ran) before turning the key.

 

Did the owner say they're in NC? No emissions or safety inspections on vehicles 30+ years old in NC.

 

Well I think NC is a little more than 300 miles from the PNW where he is located.
Dave ----

 

Hahaha! I'll have to pay better attention next time. Meanwhile we can drive around in our uninspected tanks with reckless abandon.