How bout this?!?!?!?
Get a LSX motor from a yard. Prob anywhere from 500-1K.
MSD sells a kit that gives you a MSD box and intake to run a carb on a LSX engine! Retains the crank sensor pulse so you can use all 8 coils. But you get to run a carb that sits on a edlebrock non-Fuel Injection Intake.
And you don't have to mess with motor mounts, headers, etc...
Then let the computer control the tranny. Or th350 or th400
Edelbrock 7118 - Edelbrock Performer LS1 Intake Manifold Kits – SummitRacing.com
2013 CC 5.3
81 C10 LS1 project