Rear Leaf Spring Help Needed

[mudjnky]

This is kinda long, so thank you in advance for reading it and any help or advice offered. Everyone here has been a big help with all of my questions so I'm hoping you can help with this one. We have a 68 Camaro Baldwin Motion replica. It has the GMPP 454/450 roller engine, M21 and 12 Bolt w/4.10. Heres the situation: the prev owner setup the rear with mono leaf springs and the perches are in the wrong spot causing the springs to be pulled inward. They are also twisted into an "S" pattern. He also added traction bars and moved the shocks inboard of the springs. There is a bracket welded into the trunk floor for the upper shock mounts. The traction bars are the type that have the long "U" or "J" bolts to adjust the preload. Now the right side of the rear is sitting further forward than the left.
Ok, here is my question: I purchased multi leaf springs, new perches, and install kit. In the install kit there are pads for the top and bottom of the springs. Why? Seems to me that would allow too much deflection in the mount. I'm used to setting up 4WD springs and they are always metal to metal, anything else is a no-no. Is there a way to eliminate the pads? When I bought everything the guy said some people run a mono leaf perch with multi leaf springs. I don't want to do this twice and definitely don't want to do it wrong. What's the best set up?