[Jeff Lee]

Well we've all seen the "POS" cars that get rebuilt from bumper to bumper by the new owner, yet seem to slow down in the process. It's your baby, nobody elses.
Keep in mind you can run a 4737, 4741, 4738 or 4739 on that 440. There not easy to find and not cheap. I remember it took $250 just to get that particular carb. And there's some good books on the AVS that explains the differences in tuning a two-step rod and a three-step rod. Steve Wann would also be a good source of help here (maybe even a core carb).
Good luck to you.