"But even with a running start , a hill is a challenge to get to the top."
Welcome to the world of yesterday engines. Your 235 had 140 crank HP (or SAE Horse Power) when it was new, engines today are rated at net HP, or actual HP to the rear wheels with all the accessory drag and power loss between the flywheel and rear tires factored in. So, lets say your 235 looses 20% of it's 140 HP getting to the rear wheels, now you got 112 HP, then since it's no longer a new engine and likely down on power from 1957 lets take a SWAG and reduce the 112 HP 10% for wear, now you have 100.8 HP, (likely less). Yep, it's probably doing just fine climbing hills, working it's little 100 HP butt off and getting no respect at all.
Now, someone is going to point out it's torque that does the work, and they are right. If we'd used torque, the numbers would be different but the results are the same. My wife's 10 year old Ram pickup has 410 rear wheel HP, running bobtail, it doesn't know what a hill is. My '51 3600 putting likely 70 HP to the rear tires starts sweating at the mere mention of a hill, heck I downshift in a 10 mph headwind.
RonR
