Converter technology has come light years of what it was just even ten years ago. You can get a converter that'll flash 5K and be tight enough to drive every single day with minimal slippage. You NEED a converter higher than your sissy ass 2500. Remember, there were factory high stalls that stalled higher than that, so you are still in STOCK territory.

Dude in post #5 knows what he's talkin about. The only point I would make different would be that IF you are on a budget, a roller might be out of your range. They just slap eat a LOT of money out of a project. Plenty of great modern flat tappet grinds out there and with the correct lifters, some can rival the power of a roller. Just be careful with your selection.

I know I will get flack for this.......but I kinda like Comp's Thumpr cam series. They are ground to sound WAY nastier than the engine actually is. Narrow LSA, a WIDE duration split, and late intake IVC. All that adds up to a nasty idle. It's nothing new, either. Crower did it fifty years ago with its Hydraulic Hauler series. Those cams worked great......and so do the Thumper series, IF you build the engine accordingly just like any other cam.

Good luck!