Need big block help.

That is true, it doesn't cost him anything to try other than time, maybe some gaskets. In that case, first money I'd spend is some decent headers that fit & exhaust, assuming the rest of the driveline is OK. Is this going to be 727 or 4 speed? What gears in the Dart? 8 & 3/4" rear?

I guess the important questions are: "what is the budget", "what are your resources" and "what is the purpose?" What someone wants to tolerate for a weekend street beater is different than what somebody will tolerate when they need to drive it to work on occasion. Another question, was the RV still in use, driving around, when you got the engine?

Per Mr Leroy's dyno testing, you got plenty of carb and manifold staying with the TR, get the exhaust sorted then look at a cam. For many cams you're also looking at new springs, retainers and locks. How do the valves look? How many are still straight? How many clean up with any margin left? I've been puttering with 4 sets of 452 heads from 400's I've pulled down recently and I tossed every valve, but admittedly I wasn't really concerned about saving any. OK, so $200 for new SS valves, maybe save a little if you find a deal. Might as well go with the 2.14/1.81 valves, same money. Whatever a valve job is locally, have them do a 75 degree cut in the bowls then you can finish the bowls with a die grinder and some burrs. Guides might need K-liners. Get an estimate on machine work for the heads then you can make an informed decision if it's better for you to just buy source/eddie heads instead of redoing the 452's. Again, this is contingent on your resources, if you have a buddy with a machine shop or shop prices are low, the steel heads suddenly become a good deal. S/F.....Ken M