With sufficient torque 2nd gear starts are no problem on level or downhill grades. I do it frequently even with my current 4 cylinder. The stupid throttle by wire bogs and even stalls in first gear but never in second.
My truck is a similar vintage, had been running fine, and last summer all of a sudden it wouldnāt idle worth a darn. Itās chug and cough and sometimes even stall out. If I tried to drive it around the block, it was like a keystone cops movies, it would surge ahead, chug, stall, surge, well, you get the idea. I monkeyed around with various stuff to try to fix it, but eventually just bit the bullet, removed the carb, gave it a good soak in carb rebuild fluid, and installed a rebuild kit. Had a little problem with the new power valve, but once that was resolved , and all the settings jiggered, the truck has run like new. Probably better than it ever has since Iāve owned it. Suggest to be optimistic.
I should add I was nominated here for the person taking the longest amount of time to rebuild a carb ā¦ .lol ā¦
Rebuild kits are about $35 at your local Pep Boys or OāReilly (I know they both carry kits) plus a can of carb cleaner and maybe a tub of the dunk-it carb cleaner. Itās a Holley, it isnāt hard to rebuild. Look on YouTube to find out how they come apart.
But Iād take @Barkydog 's advice and check mechanical advance in the distributor, too.
Thanks a lot. As soon as I can find the time I will check it out. Really appreciate it. 