trying to supe up my 84 2.8L ranger engine. need tips and help.

I have a 2.8L 173ci 1984 ford ranger. I have already made the exterior awesome. It has a 2" lift, 32" tires, a red 3" role bar, a 3 step front bumper, a red hood bump and red trim. The ranger itself is black. Now comes my favorite part of the job, the engine. I love engines but my knowledge is not what I would call "mechanic" yet. My goal is to bring up the horses by as much as I possibly can. The same goes with torque. I want it to be fast and strong. I am insisting on keeping the 2.8 for sentimental reasons. Already on my list for things to do include a Comp. Competition camshaft, Holley 390 cfm carburetor, edelbrock headers and a dynomax exhaust. I might adjust the ring and pinion gear to bring up the exeleration to. Any suggestions on improvements on the parts given or other parts altogether would be extremely appreciated.