Digital BW, The Print

I have an epson 1270, that has been on it's last legs for almost 2 years 
now, but it is still hanging on, and I can't afford to replace it at the 
moment. I'm using epson inks on Colorlife paper.

I have several nice, stitched black and white panoramas that I want to 
enlarge for multiple prints beyond 18" on 13x19, but i don't think 
colorlife comes any longer.

Can you recommend a paper that would be long enough for up to 12x36, but 
still have a decent archival rating with black epson inks?

How difficult is it to switch between a 3rd party ink cartridge and the 
epson cartridge? Flushing heads needed? Cleaning cartridges?

I'm depending on my printer to get me through a color photo competition 
that is coming up soon so I don't want to do anything that would hurt 
the color output. Having said that though, is their a better 3rd party 
black that works as well with the epson color inks and would allow more 
archivalness on other papers?

I know I would have more options with a 1280. Hopefully a 2200 is in the 
future.

I use the printer sporadically, maybe 20-30 prints in a week, but then 
nothing for 2 months.

-- 
Rob Coomer
http://www.robertcoomer.com/sig.html

Editor, Electric Caver
Greater Cincinnati Grotto
GCG Webmaster,
http://www.gcgcavers.com
DUG, NSS 47765