Like Rumble said, don't even f8ck with it if you want power. Use it as a base to learn how to mantain a v8, then move on. Everything else is pissin' in the wind. Although you could take those fancy parts, minus cam, and put them on the bigger engine. :D
Cam, converter and gears go hand in hand. Get a good converter, I repeat, get a good converter!! Don't cheap!