The stock gears are 3.27s (36 tooth ring + 11 tooth pinion = 3.27272727272727272727272727272727272727272727272727272727....well, you get the idea). Unless you are making BIG power (i.e. rolling faster than 130 in the 1/4), I'd put 3.73s in it. 3.73s on a 26" tire are good to 130 mph at 6000 rpm. I switched from 3.27s to 3.73s, and there's no way I'd go back down any unless I had to for trap speed purposes at the track.
The stock converter stalls around 2400 rpm. So a 2000 rpm converter would actually be less, which is a terrible idea. The stock converter stall speed is definitely not enough, even with a PD blower, and especially not if you're going to spend money to put a new one in anyway. With a ported roots blower, 3.73 gears, stock converter, and around 400 rwhp (with LOTS of low rpm torque), my car would rarely cut a sub-1.80 60', which is pretty bad for a 400 rwhp auto car. These times were power limited, NOT traction limited. If you put a converter in it, I'd say it needs to stall to 3000 RPM on the foot brake at a MINIMUM. Which means you're looking for around 3500-3600 RPM actual converter stall. Depending on the rest of your trans build and what you want to do with the car, it certainly wouldn't hurt to go a few hundred RPM higher. Contrary to popular belief (that the ideal stall speed is 600 rpm less than peak torque), the higher the stall speed, the better times you'll turn (assuming that speed isn't above where the RPM drops to on gear changes). But for a street car, that may make it a little tough to drive a lot.
Speaking of traction, you won't have too many issues at the 400 rwhp area on a stock converter. I can't speak so much for the 500 rwhp range. My car has very few suspension mods, and the ones it does have are for corner handling (Bullitt springs, shocks/struts, and sway bars). At around 400 rwhp, 3.73s, and stock converter, I have relatively no issues hooking my car up in 1st gear as long as it's warmer outside (65+ degrees) on regular NT555 street tires (275/40-17). If it's cooler outside, they start having a hard time hooking up in 1st. But I feel that'll be the case with any tire that you haven't put any heat in (i.e. burnout). My Nitto 555R drag radials won't hook in the cold like that on the street, but will hook just fine at the track after I've done a burnout. I've only ever had traction problems in 2nd gear when it's really cold out (sub-freezing temps). Now with a higher converter, you may have additional traction problems, but only if you aren't careful with the way you drive it. Remember, above the stall speed, the aftermarket converter will act just like the stock converter; you only get your big torque multiplication just before and at the stall speed. So as long as you are easy with the throttle until that RPM, everything after will be just fine.
ing no those will get you killed! some loose sand, water, ice, or snow and yer dead!
