This 3-speed trans is gonna have to go...

IIRC
-73s had from the factory, a full-synchro A-230. I think it became standard in 1970.
Ummm, maybe the 230 was standard on floor-shift models only.IDK. How could I forget?
-Anyway, Older models had the A-903 with the non-synchronized low. And before that was the A745. I have rebuilt hundreds of all of those. If your tranny has a side cover, its a 230,albeit with a dead brass on first.The 903s were pretty light duty,and I thought,weak. The 745s had an unusual synchronizer design. Sometimes they were hard to make work.
-Pump up the front tires. 35 or 40 psi will make a world of difference.
-Cant help with the no A/C
- 73s were still a good year to hop up.

I have to agree. No matter what anybody says; double clutching in traffic IS a chore. Back in the day, There were way, waaay, less cars on the road, and traffic was only a big-city issue and only at rush-hour.I too grew up with column shifted non-synchronized-low-gear trannys. Thats just the way it was. I was just excited with my new-found freedom, and double clutching was a very small price to pay.
However,I wouldnt put up with that anymore. Thing is ,youve had nearly a year and a half to change it

As to the standard steering; Again, thats what we had back then. We also didnt have parallel parking. Mostly we had park-it-any-way-you-care-to,parking. Except in the big-city where it was Diagonal-parking.WE also had hard-as-a-rock tires. Polyglass came out in 1970 IIRC. They were still HARD. Hard tires were much easier to turn. And a very large percentage of driving was on gravel or even dirt. Driving on gravel is like driving on ball-bearings. Radial tires came out in the early 70s somewhere, and while they ride really nice, last pretty good, and are alignment friendly, they are harder to steer around corners. So again I agree; standard steering and radial tires, can be a chore, and I wouldnt put up with it anymore. Thing is youve had nearly a year and a half to change it.
I always say; Unlike me, theres three kinds of people in the world today; the ignorant(unschooled), the lazy, the broke,and the I dont give a chits.I hope you fit into the brokes.Broke is hard to break out of.