Again, GoV is exactly the problem the OP wants to address (along with Abyssea). Classic leveling is contradictory to that. You may call it nerfing GoV if you want to, but that's just misinterpreting their intentions and misleading readers of your post.
You know that "classic" leveling never really went away though, right? It is totally in the power of the player to find 5 other like-minded individuals to level the classic way. If, on your own server, you can't find 5 other like-minded individuals to play in a way that satisfies the OP's sensibilities, then you can see why a Classic server won't work.

The next thing would be to keep the new XP curve introduced in 2009 (I think), but removing the FoV experience bonuses. You still get to complete pages for "Tabs" that you can exchange for buffs; but not the endless cycling of FoV pages for XP. That also brings back low-level parties in the Dunes, Qufim, and Khazam, which imho are really well done zones.
Crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, worm, crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, crawler, crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, mandragora, crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, crab, colibri, colibri, colibri, colibri...