318/8 Speed Swap
Something to be aware of is, the tallest ratio I can find for an 8.75" is 3.23:1 in new ring and gear sets. Kind of makes the 2.71 gear I would want a bit of a question.
I found a 2.76:1 for an 8.25", but even the 8.8 and 9.25 are limited to a 3.08 or 3.21 or above.
Used gears are an option, just saying that buying new setup might pose a problem.