Advice on budget a/body bracket car suspension?

Pick your poison is my suggestion.

If I had a choice to spend money on SS springs or stock springs with a Cal Trac set up, give me cal tracs.

I know of and have worked with many cars that had SS springs and moving to cal tracs, the cars picked up as much as .13-15 in 60's times. Most were improvements in the .04-.08 range. I think two cars didn't pick up anything switching and my opinion was the package was wrong forward of the rear axle.

Walk around the Stock eliminator pits and see how many of those guys run SS springs, not many, if any.

I hear the new SS springs are not the most durable and wear out quickly. Look at the Greg Luneak - Launcher springs if you want to stay with a leaf only rear set up.

I build my own Cal Trac style set ups so I save a few bucks!