[Average Joe]

What is your budget for mods? A front sway bar makes a huge difference if you dont have one already. The headlight relay mod gives you brighter lights. A overdrive would make highway travel less noisy and save gas. Dont expect miracles with od, but with a proper ignition curve and dialed in carb you might see 15-16mpg with od. Personally i think your truck looks great as is. Id sooner buy the l31 longblock than the 290 horse motor. The vortec heads are more efficient. The cam specs on the 290 hp motor are not ideal for a 4k lb truck. Ls swap would be killer but somewhat expensive.