Help me with A833 Gear ratio choice wide or close!

I think the car weight has a lot to do with it. The early B-body 833's had the 3.09 first and I'm sure they did it to help get the big bastards moving. It's even more important if your motor isn't especially torquey. The Getrag six speed I have in one car has a 4.23:1 first gear with 3.45 rear, and though it is about done by 30mph that 4000lb car comes out of the hole like nobodies business. I wouldn't be afraid to run a 3.09 and actually have an 833OD and 2.66 standard to choose from when I get to the swap in a year or two.