I drive my 51 quite regularly. I installed a newer 261, a T5, and a Chevelle rear. Now I get 19 MPG and it tops out at around 90 MPH. I don't have power steering, but power brakes are almost a must. I also installed a TCI IFS kit to make things more comfortable, but it's not really necessary. It just depends on what kind of driving you want to do, and how far you want to go. I drive mine all the time and love it.
