Questions from a newbie...

Welcome to the site. I prefer the balance of a small block in an a body than a big block myself and I don't make my knuckles bleed trying to get a big block set up in the car. The 4 speed parts gathering can get expensive and you will have about $1500 in just parts. They make adapter mounts for any engine in your /6 k frame so you just need to figure out which one you really want. I would also upgrade to disc brakes if you like stopping. We can help you make a list of what you need for your build once you figure out the drivetrain set up.
I agree about the small block. There is a shop here in TX that does 360 stroked to 408 builds, so I'm going with that route. In all honesty, I'd be over the moon ecstatic if I could get all of the conversion parts for $1500. I'm guessing that doesn't include the trans itself? I'm also considering just doing a 727 swap and keeping it A/T. Can I use my /6 k frame? I was thinking it would need to be upgraded to handle the V8. Disk brakes are on the list, for sure.