I put a shimano 9sp wheel, cassette and chain on a 1981 steel bike but kept the old friction Campy NR shifters and derailleurs. The frame needed to be slightly spread to fit the wheel but it wasn't any problem. The shifting was actually better than ever that way.

You could probably put Shimano 9sp on it without any problem, or Campy 10. But to pay "under a grand" for the veloce kit would stop me. You would need wheels too. Given that kind of cost I'd stay with 105 as there's a lot more of it around than campy, especially when it comes to wheels. I know this because I've been looking for Campy wheels for over a year now and there never seem to be any great bargains out there on eBay.

You could buy a BikesDirect bike with the group you want and it would be cheaper than buying the parts separately, and you'd get a frame thrown in for good measure.