Finally found a tow company that can get on Tinker AFB and get the car off base to my friend Rick's shop, ACE Transmission. Since the car is idling higher than normal at start up, and since I have had issues with a P0741 code, Torque converter clutch locked off, in the past, he and I tend to agree that the torque converter has likely failed. He has a reputable company that supplies him, so we are going to roll with pulling the trans right off the bat, and inspecting the converter. He's a friend, and his charges aren't "out-of-this world" high. So we'll go with that, unless something different presents itself once the trans is out of the vehicle. Him and his son do not remove the engine to get the trans out. Said they've never had to. Watched his son remove and replace a transaxle in a Chevy Cobalt today. Made it look easy.
Rick is also building a custom Turbo 400 for another friend's custom build 1949 Ford F6 COE. It's on a GM dually frame and will have a 396 under the cab.