Kurt, age is starting to catch up to you!
Recall that you built my wheels for my pre-WWII Schwinn New World, and we used a FW and a SA high-flange front.
Eventually I ditched the crazy bars for normal ones, added fenders, and changed out the saddle to a Brooks with coil springs. My FW shifting is not bad, but like your experience with your '51, it is stiff and requires some effort.