Here is what I would do. First of all you may as well get ready to change the springs. If you dont you are going to end up with unmatched parts, have the engine winding at something like 4500, break a spring, dump a lifter, ect. All the time you would have wished you would have changed the springs. I understand about the reason for doing a cam swap, but I dont think you understand how easy it really is to change springs. If you take your time it will be no big deal. It may be alot of Time. But not hard work.
Here is what I would do. Call Hughes and tell them what you are wanting to do. They may have a cam that will work with stock springs. If they dont then ask If they have a cam and spring combo that will work without having to do any more than just change the springs out. They probably have that.
Another thing, If you change the cam out with anything with more lift, Your at least gonna have to check for valve piston clearence. I would.
In all honesty there really is no such thing as just swapping a cam without going through the whole valve train and checking things if you want to do it right.
I am not trying to be ugly or kill your idea but I would hate to see somebody who seems to like their truck change it up just to have it either not go any faster, or go faster then blow up.
BTW, And I may be very wrong on this one, But dont you have to pull the intake to get the lifters out in order to remove and replace the lifters so the cam will go in and out? If thats the case by the time you Pull the intake, you may as well pull the headers and the heads to look inside and check everything, and then it is no big deal at all to replace the springs.
