I don't think anyone can say whether forward controls will be more comfy for you than you can... You might try a highway peg arrangement first, to see how you like the leg position in the long term, before shifting the controls themselves. Your center of gravity and the handling won't be affected a drastic amount but it'll sure feel different riding it.
There are universal kits available; I wouldn't invest in a bike-specific kit. Check Dime City Cycles, Lick's, Lowbrow customs...all those places. And/or just go to Fastfromthepast.com and pick up rearsets and linkages, then fab up whatever mounts you need to attach them up front.
I am running rear-sets, so I've done the linkages you're going to need in reverse, but the first thing I can think of is that you're gonna need a REALLY long brake rod to link up to a rear drum brake... One good thing is that you can cut, grind, and drill your shifter for a clevis, rod-end, or heim joint very easily. You might have some issues getting a straight run between the controls and the shift/brake actuator. Rod ends or heim joints can help, but you really want to bend the rod somewhere (twice, obviously, to keep the sections parallel) so that it pulls/pushes directly in line with the direction of the actuator.
And for what my 2 cents is worth, I wouldn't associate forward controls with any bike from the late 50s...they seem like a pretty modern modification to me. Not that it matters, but I sure wouldn't call them "old-school."