Best bang for the buck?

My old combo. stock bottom end 318 with 360 heads shaved .040, .028 gasket, isky 221.@ .050 and .465 lift. performer intake, 650 holley and headers with full 2.25 exhaust. Stock converter and 3.55 open rear in 3600lb. 68 dart. Babied it out of the hole and ran 14.01 at 102 in 1/4. Sure grip, drag radials and converter should have put me close to 13.5 or better.
Sure grip, drag radials, and converter and I bet you go 103 at high 12's. This is how close the OP is to reaching his goal... and more.