The frame sounds pretty bad\heavy.
Personally, I'd find a mid 90's chromoly Kona\Brodie and run 1.5 tires 26 inch rim.
Consider an 11-30 cluster.
Of a note, my short cage 28T max derailer does the 30T cluster fine.
Back to frames...most all 90's 'good' mtb should have inclined toptubes.
Isn't that close enough to the CC geometry?
My reduced\overbuilt chromoly mtb weighs say 21 less\suspension.
I'm still using a few old components, R-derailer, headset, cranks...but the rest is gone.
I've no 'goodies' and every pipe and bolt has been chopped to reduce weight.
Why do you want skinnies? I worked it out on Sheldon Brown Gear calculator, 26 vs 700 same rpm was less than 2 mph faster. If you want speed, run 11T cogs.
I'm into a 11-38 combo that is my max, around 24 mph flatland bursts.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/
For 26 X 2.125 MTB tire with 170 mm cranks 80 rmp 11T/38T gear is 21.3 mph flatland.
I'd get a newer mtb frame, swap the entire group and over the next year start updating the components.
Frames THE thing.
I didn't mind riding lousy components on a good frame....was o.k.
Good components on a crappy frame -well that's just stupid.