[1795]

Dimis,

I concur. 3:31 is awful steep for climbing hills, unless you want to keep the car in 2nd and 3rd gear all the time. A lower gear ratio would put you in the power band and help with acceleration out of the corners. While it hurts the top end speed, you will never notice it going on those kind of roads.

What you want to do is take a look at the car as a whole when considering what to do. It is difficult to end up with a quality product if you piecemeal parts together. Do not just focus on the engine, but the transmission, rear end and suspension as well. Figure out what would be too costly or difficult to replace, and then try to build the rest around what you are going to keep and make it functional for your environment. There is no perfect car, what you need to decide is what combination will work well for most of your driving. Keep asking questions and do your research. You will get it right in the end. Drive the hell out of the car now and see what you like and what could need improving.