Craig,
It must be sign that I've owned too many vehicles when I can't remember them all at one sitting!
I also had a 1950 Chevrolet Fleetline 4-dr, with a 216 & 3-speed. I'm pretty sure it had a 4.1 rear in it, at least it seamed like it was geared similar to the 1/2 ton trucks.
The car was much less abused than my Grandad's truck, and as long as I didn't push it past 50, it seemed happy.
Sold it several years ago, and of course, now I wish I had not!
Now that we've determined our "limitations",the challenge is to find enough "blue highways" (U.S. & WPA state roads) that get us where we want to go, so that we don't get squashed doing 50 on the Interstates!
