47sooner, I drive my totally bone stock 47 fordor 1,000 mile per month every day around town and almost monthly on an extended road trip (just got back from a 200 mile trip the last two days). These old Fords, including all of their stock engines and drive trains, even bias ply tires, handle anything you can throw at them just like they did when they were daily drivers in the 40's and 50's. Mine cruises fine on the freeway at 65 mph (in the right lane of course) and has climbed to the top of Pike's Peak and the bottom of Death Valley, Mexico and Canada and all points in between in the Western States. No modifications necessary. You can have a ball with full confidence in your car just like it is.
Here's one of my recent road trips of just under 2,000 miles in November driving California Highway 1 from Los Angeles to San Francisco with links at the end to all previous road trips for you to see what kind of fun you are in for in your 47:
http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=182600