Traction ideas???

Adjust the Calverts so that a credit card will just slip through.

Biggest tires that you can make fit.

I would be concerned about remove all the clamps on front from
a safety issue. On the back springs in the old days I only removed the
clamps behind the axle. However, if the Calvert style are done and adjusted
properly - It will not matter on the back.

The Calvert bars worked GREAT on the 1972 to 1986 trucks.
MY 82 Ram Truck 360 Stocker ran deep in the 11's (Held NHRA National
Record for a long time) many years ago. However, the Leaf Spring Geometry was nearly
identical to the cars from the 60s and 70s. I have not been under the early
generation trucks since early 70's and I do not remember the layout anymore.