Tru,
I am sure that you can fix the sending unit for your speedo. As for the reverse thing, you are correct that it is a matter of preference. I am just down shifting and shifting into 2nd more than 1st. I still liked my 65 that had the T-Bar on the handle. Only way to get it into reverse was to pull the T-Bar upward.
My 69 has the reverse back down on the left next to 2nd. But another thing to remember is the linkage back then was sloppy compared to todays, and I won't update it because I want to keep it the way it came. Every time I drive that one, I have to learn how to shift all over again.
Ron
