Transgo IME are the best shift kits on the market.  You can trade complexity for ease of installation, but its not without cost.  Other manufacturers like to make the shifts all or nothing, so even at part throttle, while you just want to cruise you get harsh shifts.  Transgo kits IME shift as smooth or even smoother than stock at part throttle, but bang gears hard at WOT.  Exactly what you want. 

I have installed shift kits in a 70 Dodge Challenger to a S-10 pick-up......BOTH were better than stock slush box.
My lil 4.3 V-6 still barks 'em going into second @ 250,000 miles on the engine !
As you prolly know there are several reasons to run a 'firm shifting' trans compared to the stocker. (all good)
6sally6

Always loved that picture!

I was riding with a friend who had a 1938 Chevy coupe with a built 327. We were racing another car in an industrial area of LA. He power shifted into 3rd and part of the flywheel came thru the floor and out the roof just in front of me. Talk about an adrenaline rush!

Ron68,

I have always swapped out autos for manuals (mostly T-5's), but on my last build (55 F100) I used a 4R70W with the Baumann US Shift Quick 4 controller, and I was really surprised how easy the wiring was and how well it shifted, and EVERYTHING was adjustable. I would consider it again. These cars are just so much fun to toss around with a manual.

But it's a two-part project, I won't swap an overdrive without changing gears and wont swap gears without overdrive. I thought I may add a shift-kit and keep the 2.80 gear for now, it will end up with an OD of some type eventually.

Trying to keep it simple, but I'm not capable of not making changes.

Got my Wheels and Tires on over the weekend,

The wheels look good. I wish I had gotten the alloys.

6Sally6 you should see the other side of the garage.

MS - I have bought more wheels and tires over the years than I can count, BUT I still stress and research to death each set. Always trying something different. I still prefer the look of real chrome, but after my last run of steel Magnums, I just couldn't do it again. I had all intentions of getting 15x7's Front and 15x8's rear with 225 & 235. At the last minute I decided on 15x7's all the way around and 215 & 235. The fit great, like the staggered look and don't rub anywhere. I decided that if I want to push them out a bit to fill in the wheel well, I could always use a small spacer, but if I needed to suck them in, I would be out of luck.

Ron68 - I may PM you some questions about how you like the 4R70W, I'm on the fence between that and a T5 for overdrive.