A thing that will help the overheating somewhat is to roll down the windows and turn the heat all the way up. It's not 100% effective, but you'll be able to go longer before having to stop & let the car cool down.
The car I got my Sr. yr of college had a hell of a time overheating. I eventually took the thermostat out so it would always pump fluid through. Didn't have problems after that! (And yes, I'd replaced the thermostat with a brand new one.)