As for the rest, i guess i'm either looking for a non-R/T 5.2L with a 5-speed i could clone into what i want (i dont even really need a 360 to be honest... the 318's weren't much slower, and i'm interested in MPG too). Or get an R/T and go through the BS ov swapping in a stick.

I'm guessing the bad MPG has a lot to do with the heavy gearing?

Maybe buy a 5.2L w 5-speed, stick some highway gears in the diff and clone it up?

Its hard to get my head around that weight though. Whatever happened to "mini-truck"...??? Hell... even my 72 Newport weighed less... 4300lbs. Why are they so heavy? Can they be lightened to any serious degree or is it all structure?