Maybe not. A few years ago I drag strip tested my car with 24", 28 and 30" tall tires on the same outing, and nothing changed as far as ET or MPH was concerned. The engine just buzzed harder on the top end with the shorter tires.
This simply happens due to the massive torque produced by the 455 in the loaded rpm range, and the broad/flat torque curve. The super efficient Continental converter is a BIG player here as well. It's like dumping a clutch and the engine is pretty much locked solid above the stall speed, with little if any torque multiplication on the run. My math shows less than 150rpms slippage with mine, but it flashes to 3500rpm's on the launch.
I have nearly the same engine in my car and it cares very little where you shift it at. I can shift clear down at 5000rpms, or clear up at 5800rpm's, and ET only improves about .03-.04 seconds.
Now more converter combined with more gear and better 60' times will knock a tenth or two off of it. It would even run a tad quicker without the gear change, but simply changing gears and the same converter I doubt if it will improve very much......IMHO.......Cliff
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https://cliffshighperformance.com/
73 Ventura, SOLD 455, 3740lbs, 11.30's at 120mph, 1977 Pontiac Q-jet, HO intake, HEI, 10" converter, 3.42 gears, DOT's, 7.20's at 96mph and still WAY under the roll bar rule. Best ET to date 7.18 at 97MPH (1/8th mile),
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