The slant is great for low-end torque and the long runners give a little torque surge ~2500 rpm. Perfect for a truck. The 1 bbl is fine unless you plan to scream the engine (and look like a fool). Ditto for the factory exhaust, just insure the heat riser (round weight) rotates freely. I had trouble with many Holley 1920's until I finally got a good one. If yours works fine, keep it. You have the e-beam welded aluminum intake manifold, which is very light. Some say they can be porous and leak, but a good epoxy paint or powder coat fixes that. If you have a points distributor, upgrade to HEI (many threads). If the factory Mopar ECU, keep it but keep a spare module in the glovebox. Next time at a junkyard, take the mini-starter and cable off an 80's RAM V-8. That will save 10 lb and real easy to swap on a slant. Not sure why yours has a heat shield, never seen that. I thought truck slants had the alternator mounted on the driver's side.