Any easy way to improve a Ford 300 I6?

Its in a 78 E150 van that was stored for almost 20 years; pure hippy style mobile play pen! Runs good, great compression, dizzy vacuum works but a gutless wonder with the C6; My friends 86 is a 1000% peppier. No smog pump so I suspect all the changes were to the head, pistons and dizzy; Ive heard 78 was a real dog year for Ford performance.
Any simple changes or should I just drop in a later one or I guess a 351W would be just as easy. BTW, it has a 2.75 9" rear but even on the highway it wouldnt p*** a Model A.

Its just going to be a beater for local deliveries up to 1000# or so.

 

drop some 3.50 gears in it.

or even 3.70.

 

Check out http://www.fordsix.com/
They have some cool stuff

 

exhaust manifolds from ?85-newer are duals, combined with a 4 bbl intake and a 500cfm carb, that could help. Junkyard gems.