I was towing a boat up a fairly steep hill in 3rd gear at 50 mph with a 2.4 L 4 cyl engine. If that car with a 6 cyl 3.2 cannot get 20 mph there is a problem with the car, not the driver.
Good luck and let us know what you find on your mountain test drive.
Greetings from California - (former) home of the 56 Chevy!
Would you say it if I were a guy?
My response was not based on your gender, so yes, I would say that if you were a guy. It was based on the fact that a driver with a manual transmission should be able to adjust her/his shifting to extract more power out of the engine. Have you tried this? Have you tried upshifting later, when the RPMs are higher and the engine is producing more torque and horsepower? If you have, I will gladly retract what I said.
I find it insulting you would assume my advice was based on your gender.
OK, I give up, cuz all you experts agree: Safety-wise and money-wise, my Rodeo Remake idea just doesn’t make sense. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion.