Well, I gave up on the bottom end, decided to not go down that rabbit hole until it at least runs. Long term is a B block so I can build some power anyway so...
Still chipping away at getting the chassis sorted out. I decided to run with the 5 widest springs in the rear and needed to machine a pair of shackle blocks with a 1.25" block. Once machined I ground the sharp edges with some 40 grit paper, used a needle scaler on the exposed spots and then deburred the parts with a wire wheel. The end result looks like a casting. The spring is back in the frame and waiting on the rear brakes to get installed onto the new (to me) axle assembly.
Other projects include bushing the pedals and replacing the shaft as well as still fighting the pressure plate adjustment. in the end I think I'm going to cut the nuts off and replace them to gain some adjustment. I also made another trip to Bratton's for suspension stuff to finish up the underside.