Most stovebolt engines are HP rated around 3500 RPM or a bit more. Very few people are comfortable running one above 2500 or so, which means they're ready to shift to the next higher gear just about the time the engine is just barely above the max torque range, and nowhere near its max power level. That's not the engine's fault- - - - -some "driver education" needs to be done!
Jerry
SOOO much good information by several people here that want you to be successful.
The quote above by the esteemed HRL rings especially true for me. I have a 3.90 rear and a .7 overdrive which gives me an effective 2.73 that makes for great highway cruising. On any highway travel west I need to climb a mountain pass. Since I installed two column mounted gauges, a tachometer and a vacuum gauge my gear changing has been dramatically different. In order to achieve the sweet spot of the vacuum gauge and the rpm's that HRL speaks of above I now charge over the pass in third regular, optimizing the vacuum and efficiency of the engine. Don't be afraid of a little noisy work going on by the engine, peak engine performance may require it!
John Milliman, "I still run Huck brakes (they take more care and feeding than Bendix, and you have to drive defensively). My gas tank is still in the cab. I don't smell gas and I've smoked plenty of cigars in my truck. I've run this site for 30 years now and I have yet to hear about an AD blowing up."
Like John, I'm totally on board with Hucks and gas tank where it's supposed to be.
