Number one;ya can't drive an old GM truck at hiway speeds,rubbish.Took a trip to the ATHS meet near Ft Wayne Indiana,my 51 and the other GMC's driven by Kook and Bill Miles have stock suspensions,but radial tires and a front sway bar.The average cruising speed on the Interstate was 65 MPH.I left before them to return,between Toledo and Cleveland,the traffic was flying at night.My truck has OD,I cruised at 80 mph for an hour,the 261 engine was running along at 2200 rpm,it was working ,but not straining.The truck tracked straight,no problem at all.
Second,your engine will blow up at over 2500 rpm on a long trip,more rubbish.Kook has 4.ll gears with 16 inch tires,stock unrebuilt 228 engine.He and Bill made a nearly 2000 mile round trip,(for me it was 1200 miles)Kook's engine speed was 3000 rpm at 65 mph.While passing large trucks he often went 70 for a few miles.Sure it's noisy,he wore modern battery powered noise canceling ear muffs,it wastes fuel,but it can be done.
Myth number three,the drum brakes are unsafe on the highway.Partly true,discs are better,but an alert drive can use proper driving techniques to be as safe as possible.And many 60's Muscle cars have drums.
Myth number four,the ride is too stiff,more rubbish.It's an old truck,it rides stiff,but no worse than an 80's 4 wheel drive with straight axles.It's all in the seat,just like over the road trucks,a good seat makes up for the stiff ride.
Myth number four,you can't drive in fast moving rush hour traffic.Hmmm,we drove through Cleveland in heavy fast moving traffic,dodging and weaving with best of them.Of course the high center of gravity requires some thinking on the driver's part,probably safer with an alert driver in an AD truck than an SUV driven with on hand on the wheel,one hand on the cell phone and the third hand holding a cup of coffee.
No need for grafted on car suspensions,V-8's,or auto trannies,a suspension and steering in good order,good tires and shocks,a sway bar,let that motor sing on the hiway
