I wasn't skating during this era (started in 1996) but I've always had a fascination with these setups. While I'm not quite skating anything as drastic, lately I keep coming back to a 9" egg/football, 8.75" Trucks, and like 50mm wheels (have always skated 50s). I mostly skate curbs and flat and this sort of thing feels super functional and for whatever makes me take things a little less seriously. Can't get down with the sub-50 wheels though. Even in a 50/51mm, F4s feel nice and functional.
Also, re: the wheelbase thing...I was skating a Girl Couch shape and a similar Deathwish, both with 13.875 WB and it felt fine even though I am well over 6'. Both had a lot of flat on the nose, so they didn't feel short as far as overall surface goes. I also skate pretty slow, so IDK.