First stroker build – could use some expert advice

First, welcome to FABO. Second, congrats on the recent "retirement" from Military. I'm just up the road from you, and if the weather was warmer (springtime) I would take you for a ride in my Demon to give you an idea of what a 408 can do in an A-body. A couple of items to consider; have you thought about using a later LA-360 (1989-1992), they came with the factory roller lifters. These are a good option for your type of build (mostly street with lots of torque). Second item, how about a set of iron RHS heads from a reputable builder like MRL or IMM Engines? Both are members of this board. Are you looking for a local engine builder/machine shop? I can recommend Magnum Machine in Chesapeake, great guys to deal with. Good luck with the build.