You might have misunderstood what I was trying to say when I said I never noticed any lugging in 2nd gear. I was trying to say that I have never driven in 2nd at a speed where lugging occurred. I have been driving manual transmissions for over 50 years and am certainly familiar with what engine lugging is, what it sounds like, and what it can do to an engine.

 

Ok, no worries, I wasn't trying to pick an argument here, just trying to point out a comment and to match it up with an opportunity for those not familiar with the condition to seek some authoratative information.
BTW, I learned about engine lugging from my dad riding around in his '47 Ford coupe and my grandpa in his Crosley...especially the Crosley. He walked into his office one day with the engine block under his arm so the story goes.

 

No problem, I wasn't trying to be defensive. That's why I ended with a smiley.

I'm sure you know that Crosleys had sheet metal blocks. That's why they were so notoriously undependable and why your grandpa could carry it under his arm. When I was in elementary school, one of the teachers drove a Crosley with a wind rotated propeller on the nose. All of us kids used to love to walk by it and spin the propeller.

 

And my MGA had a hole in the front bumper for an engine crank.

As was said above the transmissions in those old cars didn't have a synchro in first, so there was no shifting into first. Hence, the "rule" to never shift into first unless stopped. But, there is another point, that is the designers at that time didn't know how to make synchros strong enough to handle the speeds that first needs to be spun up to in order to be engaged. In fact, the synchro for 2nd in my MGA was worn out long before I got the car. No problem, just learn to double clutch when down shifting I am so happy with modern cars