i think that goal is very achievable. if you start with a 5.9 you'll get there a lot easier.
when you say: "to have a cam that idles good" that translates to "i want something that has a choppy idle and sounds cool" when i roll around the parking lot.
which is fine, if that's what you want. but almost none of those make power worth a damn. or, more pointedly, to get that specific characteristic you're compromising someplace else. and, if tuned well, most cams sound pretty damn good at idle.
if you're trying to keep it simple, forget about swapping in a LA cam. that's a whole *** basket of worms you don't need to complicate your life with. either get a cam kit from somebody (hughes, comp, etx) or send out your cam and have it reground and then pick up new springs and associated bits. plop on a dual plane and a 650~750 carb and you're in business.
a torque converter is a great idea and highly recommended.
