Did all the headers glow or just a couple. Sounds like you still have a vacuum leak somewhere. If just a couple glow then you have a leak where the upper to lower intake mate. If they all glow you are lean. Does it only glow when you sit the motor at 1800-2400 rpms?
As goes for the F/P keep it at around the 36-38 w/o a vacuum signal. That should drop it to around the 30-34 psi w/ vacuum, depending on how much vacuum you really do have.
What is your vacuum reading when it idles at what ever rpm you can idle it?
What's your timing at with the spout connector disconnected?
What did you set the tps sensor to at Approx. 800-900 rpms?
Do you have the EGR valve and Tap/Tad sensors hooked up?
Did you check compression?
What's the compression readings?
Did you do a Leak-down test?
Are you running on all 8 cylinders? Spark,etc
Your combo really doesn't sound all that off. It's just sounds like a high rpm engine. Should pull hard from the 3500-6500+ range with the right valve train parts. Is it still a 302-306 or is it bigger?
PM if you want to keep this hush-hush for some reason.
Car should wake up on a little shot.
MY.02's