Increased MPG for carbs?

[OSE_NERO]

Right now I have an '81 C10 single cab, long bed, two-wheel drive model pickup. I'm wanting/needing better gas mileage. I have a 350/350 combo right now, and would like to keep it that way, but if I can't really get any better mpg out of it, I suppose I'll have to swap it with an EFI motor QQ lol

My question is, how can I increase the gas mileage more?

Currently, I'm fixing the previous owner's neglect and putting life back into this behemoth. When I got it, I was probably getting about 6-10 mpg city. I never got to really do the whole calculating thing because I was always stretching the last dollars of my paycheck when I actually HAD work. Now though, I feel like I'm getting better mpg. I've put on an Edlebrock performance intake manifold, a Street Avengers series Edlebrock 600 cfm carb, Edlebrock breather kit and air filter, and have replaced all of the exhaust line, pardon the manifolds (which are next when I get income again). I have a 3" exhaust true dual exhaust line with Thrush Welded mufflers on each line minus cats.

I'm going to be honest and say that I literally have no mechanical incline, besides changing tires, batteries, headlights, and oil. That's only because I worked at Walmart's TLE section for two years. I love cars, and have a lot of stats memorized about them, but you hand me a wrench and I'll stare at you dumbfounded. I won't try to claim that I know anything that I don't, especially with this being the case.

I've been told that a bigger pipe, pardon the massive ones unless it's diesel, will increase both power and fuel mileage. I was also told an X-pipe would help, but not until I had my exhaust already put on. Does it? If so, should I do it when I get the headers put on?

I was also planning on lowering my truck a little bit to get the "bruiser cruiser" look, and to increase fuel mileage. I've been told that a lower stance will help aerodynamically to decrease drag, increasing mileage.

Also, I was planning on putting aftermarket wheels onto my truck (no bigger than 20s, and most likely 18s). I know that these won't effect gas mileage, but I heard that if I changed the wheels I would have to mess with the gearing of the truck since it was built and tested with the 15s. Is this true?

However, I was also wanting more power as well on top of gas mileage, but as of now, those roles have reversed. I've been told that you have to sacrifice one to have the other, but I don't want to believe that. I just want a nice blend of each.

I also just read about modifying the carb to increase gas mileage. However most of those people have "vanished". The way one man described it was that it ran on gas vapors instead of actual raw fuel and that it was more potent that way. Which, to the untrained such as myself, sounds like power while also boosting mpg.

I also know that on TBI and EFI that if you put a cold-air intake on the vehicle, it will give you some power and also increase gas mileage. Is it possible on a carburetor motor? And if so, will it have the same effects?

Lastly, I know that diesels and small tuner engines use turbos to boost power and I've heard that it WILL increase gas mileage and that it WON'T. So which is it? Does anyone know?

If anyone or a few people can help give me some insight to these questions or even suggest other methods (besides converting to CNG as it costs too much for me at the time), I would be thrilled to read them and think them over.

Thanks a bunch.