Great looking build so far! Really like what you did with the interior! I have this very same kit in the works. (On the shelf with the rest of my in progress builds) This is my inspiration.
Beautiful, very detailed build! Another one I picked up a bunch of tips and tricks on. My two cents on the door handles, I would put them on. Fireball Modelworks makes some very nice sets. I used them on my 66 Malibu 4D.
I was kind of thinking the same thing only cutting off the front pinion area an moving that over to the right a little and reshaping a bit. Then cut the axle housings off and scratch build new ones so the diff is more centralized. If that goes well, I can see leaf spring making in my future! It’s a slippery slope!