Why would you not pick up the phone and call someone like TCI, to get their recommendation? Taking a stab at it sounds a lot like pinning a tail on a donkey, to me. Companies like TCI specifically hire individuals with years of experience to staff their tech lines, so people like you can get your questions answered, so why would you not take full advantage of that knowledge?
Yes, the first step over stock is an excellent choice for a T. It will hook up very smartly and maintain quick throttle response at cruising speeds. If your engine has a very torquey cam, it will jump slightly and drop about 100 rpm when dropping in gear, but will still be very easy to hold at a traffic light.
Only the ones with an extra petal! I have never had an issue with idle creep, but I guess a T is very light. I was thinking in terms of matching the cam to the converter and the rear end gear to the tires and related components to preserve the clutches as I thought we were comparing th400 to th350. Wouldn't dropping the idle minimize creep? Drop the idle speed below the stall speed. There are different size stock converters as well, depending on what it came out of. Obviously a converter from a 3/4 or 1 ton truck is not suited for a light car. I have a vega converter in a 350 that worked well.
