Some updated pictures.

what are you using for a thermostat ????get your self a mr gasket or other name brand,,jegs/summit/local speeed shop get a high flow 160 degree and try that,,, how many rows in that rad ???

Well, the thermostate is up in the air right now. I'm going to put the lower one back in. I'm doing some testing right now with aftermarket gauges compared to the factory one two. I had the live one in a bunch of brass fitting and it was reading lower than the aftermarket live gauge where the factory sensor supposed to be so.........I'm going to cap off my heater core and use the hole in the intake and compare it again.

The radiator is a three core.