This is preety much hitting the head of the nail. A stroker small block is a nice idea, minus the gas mileage and cost.
For long trips, a reasonable gear ratio is assumed to be desired. To make the comp sweat a little, more gear is required. It's a catch 22 here. In order to achieve both, I would suggest a 4spd. automatic w/lock up trans and a mild stall converter at best. MoPar has mild stall lock converters for both trannys. There also inexpensive.
A O.D. 904 for example will look like this;
3.91 X .69 = 2.6979. or 2.70 final ratioI would look for a 8-1/4 rear. Cheap, plentyful with many ratios for it. It can handle a mild small block easy. It also will accept 11 inch drums or a conversion for disks.
For a power plant, I would do a 360. Mild cam and compression will go far for power. Low stress for long life and low maintance.
This what I would do myself given your list of goals on the engine;
360 bored and honed if needed with a torque plate.
Zero deck Hyper-U pistons such as KB's or Federal-Moguls anit scuff coated pistons. (A zero deck piston is about as far up the hole as I would go. Slighty under the deck is also fine.)
Gasket thickness depends on heads used.
.039 for Aluminum heads like Edelbrocks for a tight and excellent use of the quenched area or .054 with iron heads to keep the above as much as possible, but at a slightly lower ratio for use with iron heads.
Iron heads would be a 1.88/1.60 valved head and bowl ported/gasket matched.
Intake would be a RPM. (Air gap or standard is your choice)
Carb; OE or Edelbrock AVS. If a Holley is your flavor, fine. 650 cfm is what I would yeild at.
Hooker super comps or tti headers.
Comp cams XE262 or XE268 max or similar speced. More lift the merrier.
(The 262 can use the stock converter well.)
Options?
Magnum heads. Bennifit? Better flowing heads with a 1.6 ratio instead of 1.5.
Intake; Edelbrocks old *LD-340* or Weiand Action plus. Why? Spread bore T-Q. Excellent carb with tiny primarys and whoopppin secondarys.
(*LD-340 is a square bore intake that can be modified to accept a T-Q. Chrysler part numbered intakes have a choke well for OE carb use. A little hard to find, but an interesting option and intake to sport.)
Carb Yep, you guessed it, a T-Q. Don't laff. A little harder to dail in and find rods and jets for, but IMO, worth a look.
Tires; 26 - 27 inch. (26 inch is a 235/60/15)
A MSD igniton would do very well here. A low RPM engine (In cruise) would bennifit from it well.
Exhaust pipe size would 2-1/2 with an X pipe. Muffler of your choice.
