Budget Build 5.9 for a 71 Scamp

also, are you thinking you want it to be a cruiser? something to get out on the freeway with? if so, you might want to consider a 998 trans (beefy 904). some of the nice things with that are the lower power loss compared to a 727, the 2.74/1.54 first/second gear vs. 2.45/1.45, and you can get them with mechanical/hydraulic lockup (M body) or electric/solenoid driven lockup (IIRC, EFI trucks 87-up). lockup gives you the opportunity to use a higher stall/looser converter without any highway slip. pair that with a 2.76 or 2.94, and it'll still be a hoot around town, but not be cranking 3000+ RPM going down the freeway at 75 MPH. in my 5th avenue I mentioned above, I was actually running a 3.55 rear gear with a 42RH (A500, the 4 speed OD version of an A998). but to do one of those in an A body will require serious transmission tunnel and torsion bar crossmember modifications.

if you want to row your own, finding an A833 OD paired with 3.23's or 3.55's would be great, too. gears are 3.09/1.67/1/0.73 my slant duster has the A833OD/3.23's, and it's a pleasure to drive down the freeway, 70MPH is a tick over 2100 RPM. put 7K miles on it this past summer.