When I was little (early 1960s) our family car was a 1953 Chevy station wagon w/Powerglide. At the time the speed limit on many roads in Minnesota was 65 or 70mph, and we made many trips with three kids in the back seat and a utility trailer packed with luggage hitched on the back. It can be done.
Why not leave the 235 and swap in a factory 3 speed stick? You can do it with all factory parts. Zero modifications direct bolt in swap. I bet you could get everything you need from the national Chevy ***n in St. Paul Mn. Or from someone here in with a wanted ad in the cl***ifieds out of a car being "upgraded"... The 3.55 gears will work great with the stick shift too.. https://www.nationalchevy***oc.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoo8F550THjHzR2BsHC_brD1flMwhmC3Y9q2uqKNQF_lgk5dr2c8
My last year of High School (1960) I had a 1953 Chev 210 2dr, 235 w/Fenton headers and dual exhaust and 3.55 rear gears. I drove the Chevy across the State of Washington several times keeping up with highway traffic just fine. The Chevy was not built as a race car but did just fine as a cool cruiser!
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