So I'm either going to buy some headers or get a converter for my auto. Question is, since I need a tune for the stall, do I need gears as well? I currently have the stock gears. If its almost necessary, I would buy 3.73s. Thanks

 

I would go ahead and do the gears when you do the stall. I did the stall first with factory gears and hated it. I went with 3.73 and a 3600 stall and love it.

 

3800 with 2.73ss here and no problems dding it but do plan to get 3.42s.If you have the money do at same time but it wouldn't be a problem without gears.

 

If you have 3.23s I wouldn't change them; if you have
2.73s then maybe. But be aware that once you get a
high STR, you will be traction limited and maybe going
up in ratio helps none - if you can't hook in 1st, what
good is a 4-speed trans really?

Playing with ratios for a 1/4 mile track is another matter.
There you'd try to trap at the top of 3rd, and at low
power levels higher gears help the numbers; as trap
speed (power) goes up, though, the ratio will come
back down.

I'll leave it to 2.73 + high stall speed converter guys
to say whether they can blow through 1st gear; my
3.42 setup smokes well into second and that helps
nothing at the track.

You want to match converter to motor powerband
and match gears to your use - DD, 1/4 mile, top
speed, whatever. Doing them together might save
you money if you hire your tuning done, but gear
swap stuff ought to be a pretty small fee later.
Getting the shiftpoints just-so for the converter,
to your preferences, you could spend a lot of
time at that if you're real particular.

 

Yes spins through first and into to second on streets tires with lca's and relocation brackets,lid,headers and tune.

 

I've been thinking about buying all the parts I need and having them all installed and tuned. I definitely don't want to spend needlessly, and I'm not trying to cut corners either. My plans aren't firm yet on the direction I want to go, so maybe I should get that part down first.