Engine decision...

[Steve Chryssos]

As usual, when it comes to engines, I fully agree with Frank. That works out to "only" about 477ci--which will make the bench racers cringe. But combined with a good set of 325cc rectangular port heads you'll have ungodly power where you need it coupled with more than ample power down low. It's a great option for a car that has a mild chassis.

Go with a 10.200" deck height block so that you can achieve ideal rod/stroke ratio--on par with a small block (1.7:1 or 1.8:1). Run fuel injection to compensate for flame travel issues arising from the big bores.

Best of all the engine will last forever. You can keep freshening up the block by boring in .030" or .060" increments every coupla years. The true safe limit on good aftermarket blocks is 4.600", so that's a lot of rebuilds!



Avoid an aluminum big block on the street. Aluminum big block castings "move around" during heat cycling. The result is possible ring seal issues and potential coolant leaks. Expect to re-torque the heads frequently at the very least. That's to be expected with a race engine that gets freshened regulary, but not the smartest idea for a true street engine.
/Steevo