WideRide,
I feel you on the Atlanta traffic concern. I'm 20 minutes west of Atlanta and had similar issues with my 1966 6 cyl truck. Not any more!
These guys are right regarding the 700R4. Quick easy way to get a good low first gear and 3 additional gears for better acceleration than the PG. First gear is low enough (3.06) to give you good acceleration even with a 3.08 geared rear end. Catdog is on the money about the head. And since this won't be your daily driver you can afford to remove the engine and build it
right.
The 230 already has an excellent compression ratio from the factory (about 8.5 to 1). Running the mild cam you first mentioned, along with some detailed head work, plus Clifford shorty or Stovebolt headers, a slight head shave and a moderate sized two barrel would give you a great cruiser with acceleration that you'll be pleasantly surprised at. And you could do all this without breaking the bank.
Another good thing is your 230 can use the 250s A/C components so you'll be able to easily add aftermarket A/C to your car, and the engine will have plenty of power to run it without killing your performance.
I'm probably not that far from you. Maybe we can get together sometime and I can show you what mods I've made to my 1966 truck with a 292 to make it cruise I-285 in the fast lane with ease.
Even during afternoon rush hour traffic!!!
-magic mike-
