Pt plugs - resisting fowling?

[James <nyb@xxxxxxx>]

Allo,

A spark plug question.  In order to not start any flame wars, let's just 
say we are talking about just using Autolite plugs.  Autolite plugs for 
the 76 NYB (and I'm assuming many other years of 440) are available in 
two forms, regular and the so called platinum plugs.  I don't really 
believe that the platinum claim has much to do with it, since with what 
Pt costs they couldn't afford to put more than a few atoms on there for 
the cost you can buy them.  But they do obviously have a smaller 
electrode suface area.  Does the fact that there are statistically has 
fewer spots that a spark can bridge from help to knock foreign materials 
off the tip?  The reason I ask is that the rings and valve stem seals 
aren't so great in my car and I won't have opportunity to fix that any 
time soon.  I find that I can get a few months out of regular (autolite) 
plugs, but then they foul up.  Would switching to the "Pt" plugs help, 
or am I better off to just go with the cheaper plugs and change/clean 
them more often?

Thanks,
James