Had a similar thing happen with my old hatchback. I'd check everything meticulously—spark plugs, fuel filter, timing—but it'd still randomly hiccup on long drives. Eventually figured out it was just sensitive to weather shifts and altitude changes. Learned to accept it as part of the ride... sometimes cars just have their own weird quirks, preventive maintenance or not.
Haha, reminds me of my old convertible. Every summer road trip, without fail, it'd sputter and cough halfway up any decent-sized hill. I swear it had altitude sickness or something. Spent hours checking everything under the hood, but nope—just one of those quirks you learn to live with. Guess vintage cars are like people: the older we get, the more particular we become about our surroundings...
Had a similar issue with my old hatchback—every incline turned into a mini drama. Eventually figured out it was vapor lock in the fuel line. Wrapping the line with insulation helped...cheap fix, worth a try if you're still troubleshooting.
Interesting you mention vapor lock...hadn't thought of that one. But are you sure insulation alone is enough for longer trips, especially in hotter climates? I had a similar issue with my old sedan, and insulation helped at first, but after a few hours on the road, the problem crept back in. Ended up installing an electric fuel pump closer to the tank to keep fuel pressure steady—made a huge difference. Maybe insulation works fine for shorter drives or cooler weather, but if you're planning longer journeys, might be worth considering something more robust? Just thinking out loud here...wouldn't want anyone stranded halfway up a mountain road because of vapor lock drama.
Yeah, insulation alone can be hit or miss on longer trips. Had a similar experience with my old Mustang—wrapped the fuel lines, seemed fine at first, but after a few hours in summer heat, vapor lock came back. Ended up rerouting the lines away from hot engine parts and adding a heat shield near the carb. That combo did the trick for me. Electric pump sounds solid too, though...might consider that next time around.