Thing
I think you are being a little cruel to the PA28-180R, it was undoubtedly under powered but its main fault was it did not take into account the average flying club members ability to read and understand the flight manual.
The aircraft was designed as touring aircraft and it was assumed that rear seat passengers would be carried along with baggage in compartment aft of the rear seats. Unfortunately the standard UK flying club check out is usually two guys in the front and lots of fuel, this results in the aircraft being loaded on if not beyond the FWD C of G limit ........... So no real surprise when the thing runs out of up elevator at low speed.
I once read an air test written by one of the self appointed lumanries of UK light avation saying that the PA34 exhibited the same poor qualities in pitch, as an aircraft with six seats it suffered from the FWD C of G problem to a greater degree than the PA28R, there is no doubt whatsoever that the PA34 was air tested loaded outside the aircraft C of G limits !