THE STEERING COLUMN

We are finally down out of the hills for a while.  A week ago, for several days we were at elevations of 7-8,000 feet continuously.  The first time you drive an old car at an elevation over 7,000 feet, you will absolutely swear there is something wrong with the car.  It will run smooth but it won't have any power.  You might have a 50 percent power loss, and if you only have 30 horsepower to start with, that doesn't leave much.  I've experienced this on past tours, so I knew what was happening.  The air becomes thin and the engine is simply starving for air.  The carburetor mixture can be leaned out a little bit, and that will help, but you will reach a point where the carburetor simply can't suck enough air in.  You might be on level ground or even on a slight downgrade and give it full throttle and it feel like you are just pulling away in slow motion.  Not much can be done about it except just put up with it until you get down to a lower elevation.  I remember one time a few years ago, we took the car up the highest paved road in North America, which was Mt. Evans in Colorado.  The elevation was 14,265 feet.  It was a long gradual ascent, otherwise we would not have made it.  I'd gone 30 miles in 2nd gear and stopped twice on the way up to adjust the carburetor.  Near the top I had dropped down into 1st geat and the car was struggling all the way.   It kept slowing down until I wasn't sure we were going to make it.  It did make it, but barely.  When you run out of power in1st gear, you are pretty much done.  I recall trying to blow the bulb horn.  I know it's hard to believe, but there was no way to make the horn sound.  The air was too thin.

..........AND THAT'S ALL PART OF MOTORING........