I can only comment on "A" as my 58 F-100 w/223 is still stock and in the immediate family since new. The 223 in stock form has excellent driveability when all systems are functioning correctly. There is lots of torque and the engine runs smooth and quiet (relatively, it has solid lifters). This is evidenced by the fact that first gear in the 3 speed transmissions was not synchromesh. You seldom need 1st unless you are starting from a dead stop. However, trucks are geared low (e.g. 3.73:1) so 70 mph on the highway is not something you want to do regularly.
The problems for driveability fall mostly in the distributor which you've already taken steps to correct. Points used to be a heavy wear item. In that era, tune-ups were performed every 10,000 miles. Often, points didn't last that long before they were burned and pitted. This usually resulted in hesitation problems that masqueraded as an accelerator pump malfunction that couldn't be corrected with carburetor repairs. Hence the age old saying, "90% of all carburetor problems are in the ignition system." Many have had problems with the load-a-matic distributors but I have not seen that. There are multiple points of failure in that system so I suspect it can be caused by a clogged passage in the carburetor, a defective spark control valve on the carburetor, or a vacuum leak anywhere downstream.
I seem to be heading in the same direction as you regarding my engine. That is, increasing power and torque to make the engine more tractable in today's traffic. I'm anxious to know how the distributor change works out. The factory carburetor is pretty small, anything larger should expand the RPM range a little with more power throughout. The second bottleneck is the intake manifold so the carburetor will need something to go with it. I'm not sure about headers but my history with other engines indicates they should be a worthwhile change if you're willing to put up with the additional noise and aware that they are tubing, like any exhaust pipe, and won't last forever. Not that there is a big choice but relatively small, long tubes should enhance your torque curve the best.
The final bottleneck is in the cylinder head. I wish I could test one on a flow bench to see if the siamesed ports are a problem or not. There was a project with our 10 port head on inliners.org but it seems to have died.
The last thing I'll mention is the 4 bolt main bottom end. It's more than adequate but it can become RPM sensitive if you go too high.
Hopefully, Bubba... will pop in. He's a wealth of information about the performance side of these engines.
Lou Manglass