Update: found a guy that came over, was recommended by a known shop in other city. Fixed the fuel leak and found that the float was positioned wrong, which fixed the fuel gauge.
He recommended leaving the fuel regulator where its at, since it was a set ot and forget it regulator and didnt want to drill holes in the engine bay paint. Hoses were better set at the rear to prevent damage.
As for power loss. He adjusted the distributor moving the vacumm advance almost 90 degrees back (like one of you guys smartly mentioned, and mentioned that that particular carburetor works fine.
In park, the engine was strong and showed good power band. But in drive, it bogs when pedal slammed and slow. He thinks it may be the A518 tranny and/or torque convertor. So, i took it to a parking lot, pressed brakes and rpms would stall at 2000 rpm and let off brakes, took of like a bat out of hell missing boths wings crawling up the street. Slow. I dont know the stall on that convertor.
He doesnt work on trannys, so.