You sound like the average guy on this site. If I was to start over with my Scamp I would get a 73 and up 8 1/4 rear and also a disc brake set up for the same. This should get you the most bang for your buck. If your willing to take a road trip with a trailer you might be able to find all the parts you need on one car in one place. Sounds like you've got a good choice of engines if you can find the right K frame. The slant could be a lot of fun too. Is it the 225?