Flying from Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada to Patterson Lake, SK in my 1965 Cessna 172F. This model has the Continental O-300D engine which is a smooth 6 cylinder. Quick cockpit tour and some performance numbers for you.
Just went and looked at a 1964 172F today with the O-300. It hasn't flown in 3+ years and there was a bird's nest in the engine inlet, just like they tell you to look out for on your first day of pilot training.
Hey there. For cold weather, I had an oil sump heater and an electric engine compartment heater that I would turn on after I put the winter engine tent on it. After waiting about half an hour the oil and engine would be warm enough to start. Prime the engine 4 times and it would fire up real nice! Normal start up would only need 2 primes.