I'm elbow deep.What should I do while I'm here?

[jdurant]

Here's my other embarassing thread/novel.

I really haven't worked on carbureted small blocks much. This is actually the deepest I've gotten into one. My truck has never really needed much attention and tbi anyway. And as much as I love these trucks, until recently, haven't had the urge to modify the powertrain. I'm getting there though. They've alway played the most significant role as my daily driver/ cruiser. That being said-I'm nearly 100% that I blew the intake gasket on the Blazer last week. I've always told myself that when something happens to the drivetrain I was going late model fuel injected. But another project has caught my eye, so I think I am going to be selling the Blazer real soon.

It is an 82 2wd with 305 electronic spark control and as stock as I've seen, including smog pump and gobs of vacuum line. This could possibly be the first time the valve covers have been off. Before it broke, it was running fine, but did lack some power and ran pretty rich normally, but the idle and mixture seemed pretty inconsistent.

I have been planning on rebuilding the carb for awhile, but haven't gotten around to it. I did however buy and read a book on rebuilding and modifying quadrajets--and realize that I just don't want to do that. Now, I have everything off and am taking a break before I pull the intake manifold. I am doing the intake gasket, valve cover gaskets(they were leaking anyway), valve seals, waterpump, timing set, and was planning on buying a rebuilt quadrajet (theres a local guy that rebuilds em per application who I've heard good things about). So here are my questions:

I do have an edelbrock performer intake manifold laying around that a guy gave me. Should I use that and get a different carb? I feel like I should just keep it as stock as I can since I am going to be selling it though.

If you were in this position would you remove the smog pump stuff, and is it as simple as leaving the pump off, getting a smaller belt, removing all of the extra piping off the exhaust manifold, and capping the holes? What's the likely hood I can do that withouth breaking one of the fittings off in the manifold? How have yall done that? Or would I need headers?

Should I leave the electronic spark control stuff. I don't know alot about it, but seems like its prone to malfunction and a popular modification. I really don't have a good reason to think it wasn't working properly though.

Anything I should know--tips, tricks, anything quirky? What else should I do while I'm here. It is a possiblity that I give it to my parents also, but either way, I would like for it to run tip top.
Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for the advice.