That earlier 1.21 3rd gear would work OK with a .82 4th and a 4.12 R&P In Adrian's car, I think. But a lot would depend on the torque curve of the engine.
Greg's big 2332cc engine is, as I recall, made to be a low-rev torque monster: 150-ish hp in the 5000 RPM range. That makes it a different mill than, say, a CB Performance 2110, with its 150 horses coming around 6000. Either one would pull Greg's gears in a Speedster, but the 2110 would do it with more pizzazz in a Spyder, with about 200 pounds less mass.
Adrian's engine, even—maybe especially—if it's cammed up to make power at high revs, is going to want the closest gear spacing available. Pace ALB (and his love of jack-rabbit starts), the 4.12 R&P is still a second-place choice (unless Adrian also wants to drag race the car). The stock late Bug gears provide the strongest, closest-ratio set available without going into high-buck custom stuff from Weddel. And it's dirt cheap.
I know how much all of us like spending other people's money, but I like to believe that most of the people who get into this hobby at least start out with a reasonable budget in mind, and with a goal of getting a super-cool looking car that they can look cool in whilst cruising around, cooly.
It's only later, and only sometimes, that the desire arises to make it something it's not and can never be.
As @Stan Galat warns: "Don't be like Stan."