I am not saying throw heaps of money at it.Look at a wreckers or whatever means you have available to source a second hand intake(virtually any alloy dual plane 4 barrel is going to be an improvement and will allow a 4 barrel carb).A Holley square bore vac sec should be dirt cheap second hand and kits and tuning for those carbs are everwhere.I have to be resourceful living in New Zealand(parts can be hard to come buy and expensive)You live in the States;you should be swimming in options for low-bucks....best of luck however you go.Exhaust is not an issue at the moment for you;concentrate on the carb issue thats where your power will come from...The exhaust wont hold you back any..