If it’s the typical GM 5 speed you seldom need to use 1st gear. It’s the Granny gear !

24-26 at 60-65 30-32 at 75-80.

2nd gear starts are no problem. I bet I can do a 3rd gear on flat ground empty. You don't get much for speed until you hit fourth and fifth. First is a waste empty on flat ground.

How's she running? Any replacement parts needed in the near future?

It fired right up and down the road it went. I don't know what I would replace on it. I have seen nothing wrong. All the glass is good, no chips or cracks and seems strong when running. It does need a 2" ball and a 2 5/16ths.
This morning between the house and the first 50 miles east, it was pretty foggy and the road was frost covered. There was a one ton ford 4 door in the ditch. He slid in about broad side and flipped in the air and landed on this wheels. There is no track up to him. You can see his track where he went off the road in the snow, but then a space with nothing and the pickup sitting.

Its gonna like gas, only downside to those powertrains.

Should be an NV4500, 1st is marked as Low in the dodges that have them. They have a habit of eventually starting to spit out of 5th gear when you let off the throttle

The Dodge or Chev or both. I have a 2001 Dodge with a five speed manual too.

Help Grandson "fix" the wiring.
You'll be his hero lol.

If me I'd be planning for undercoat or fluid film or
fennelize or a yearly oil spray.

I've got a 94 GMC standard cab 4x4 with the same set up as 2poor. It doesn't have a lot of power but it does the job. The prices on used trucks are ridiculous IMO. I hope mine last and doesn't rust away. It's only got 151,000 on it.

I have no idea why over half the people have a truck. They don't even use a truck to do anything with. I love it when it sits so high they can't see in front of them so they park about 4 feet back from the yellow line in the parking stall and wind up nearly blocking the drive lane. At least that's what happens at the place I work. Also you can't reach anything in the bed of the truck because it's too high.
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I love a manual trans. in trucks. Had an 88 3/4 ton Ford 4x4 with a bunch of miles on it, body was decent but it drank the gas. You couldn't hurt the thing in the woods. My kids learned to drive in it. Simple to work on, lots of room and tough as nails.