Routing fuel lines correctly

Hello everybody, I was hoping you guys could send me some pics or ideas on how to route my fuel lines from the pump to carb. I have a california car with a fuel filter that has a third outlet for fuel return. This is the only piece of the emissions crap I kept as ive been told it helps with vapor lock. I would like to add a fuel pressure regulator as im getting mechanical pumps that have slightly too much psi for my edlebrock. This would seem like a simple task yet im having some issues.
1. I would replace my fuel filter with any aftermarket style with threads yet I cant seem to find any with a third outlet. I would like to keep the filter after the pump.
2. I cant find any carburetor outlets in 5/16 and my entire fuel system from the tank is 5/16. Anything with the correct threads for an eddy 1405/6 I find in 5/16 has too long of threads and wont seal. I have been shoving my fuel line over a 3/8 outlet and it splits once a year from stress.
3.i would like to have hard line the entire way up from the pump.
Rubber from tank hard line to pump is good as I would like some flex from the body to the motor but now I would have to have soft line from pump to filter, soft line from filter to regulator and another soft line from regulator to car. That makes 8 hose clamp connections not including the small rubber section between the tank and hard line on the body. I know there has to be a better way to route this.