Barnaby

I have a Concorde bike with Edco Competition componentry circa 1984 which came with 36 spoke wheels and sew-ups. I used to buy low end tires, but was really thrilled with the feel of the wheels. Since, I was flatting out regularly, and did not bother to figure out how to patch sew-ups since people told me that there was no way to patch without getting a noticeable thump out of the fixed tire-each flat was costing me a new tire. My remedy was to rebuild the wheels with clinchers. I choose Specialized Pro 700CX20 on the rear and 23 on the front.
I am happy with the new wheels and tires and feel more confident going long distances with only a tube and tools-but something is missing!
Is it possible to get the same feel on higher end clinchers as I remember on the sew-ups or do I have to buy new wheels with sew-ups for occasional runs? The local bike store is pushing some sort of would-be sew-up for clincher rims that are supposed to be close to a sew-up feel.
Also, should I consider replacing the tube each time if I go this route and learning to sew it into the tire?
Could it be that too much attention and money is being spent on frames when wheel upgrades and possibly better clipless peddles would give better bang for the dollar, given the effect of rotating mass?
Sorry if I'm going over old stuff-I'm new here.