[Coupeguy2001]

Back to the subject at hand

If you used a muncie, you would get synchro in first.
If you used a 70 chevy truck 3 speed, you would get full synchro. ( i have one for $200)
if you used a granny 4 speed, you do not get first gear synchro, but you would usually start out in second anyway. So you might as well use a 3 speed as far as that is concerned.
I use a Doug Nash 4+3, and have 7 forward speeds, kind of like a gear splitter for 2nd, 3rd, 4th.
It has over drive, so I can cruise 75 at 1850 RPM.

My 57 is a stick shift with a tilt column. It is a 30 inch column with a 2 inch column drop, and I use the original steering wheel.
On my set up, I maximized the wheel position for me by sliding the column up till it was comfortable with the steering wheel attached. When it was juuuuust right, I locked it in, and at the firewall, I raised the column hole 2 inches till it was at the point where the foot board starts at the firewall. then measured the shaft using two u joints, and cut the shaft to fit.

Have your wife measure from the wheel to the dash, where it is comfortable to u,and from the center of the wheel to the floor of the cab.
you will figure out the column position from that measurement.

I think you have to decide, for the trans,
What do you want to do?
Cruise, or win races? Get great gas mileage, or be the first one off the line?