Opinions on what to buy to lower ET...

I'd put caltracs on it. Been involved with a bunch of cars, going from ss springs to tracs and only one didn't improve (wasn't the caltarcs IMO, it was the owner refusal to change front end settings). My friends 10.50-10.60's Cuda went from 1.43 to 1.39 60's with better consistency and flatter/level front attitude on launch. No more twisting up as with the ss springs.

Look through the Stock Elim mopar cars, you won't see many ss spring cars anymore.

Anything that absorbs or softens the stress on axle tube twist is wasted motion. Anyone that's run SS springs successfully will tell you that a snubber can go over to hold the door open, clamp the crap out of the front segments to get rid of wrap up, the opposite of what some references say. Along with aluminum front eye bushings, again more solid transfer of energy.

Will and can SS springs work OK, sure they can. Are they my preference, nope.

The carb, can you borrow a 950hp to try? The 950hp is an AWESOME WOT carb. Seen 10+ HP increases with an OOTB jetted 950hp over custom prepped 950hp carbs. They work real well. If you drive it around town or cruise, they are silly rich on cruise.