Questions from a newbie...

i too am old and woreout like just mentiond, but I do really prefer to bang gears, even in a slant! ha/ let me add this to your thoughts, a four speed is NOT that expensive, IF you can afford and willing, to build this, all the rest of it all, including dumping the K member for th coilover set up??! there are other gear vendors, like Passion for instance, but for OEM stuff rebuilt and all the small parts looks up Wayne Brewer, ie Brewers Performance out in Ohio.
make it easier and pickup a solid project car that already has the pedals, hump, bar frame bracket, etc, even a slant car.
4 speed trans A body / SB bell? $350-450 , rebuilt one maybe $1100 id guess.
me, I much rather shift gears!