I was thinking on this comment. I appreciate the sentiment. I started in this hobby at 16 with no family support, a shadetree mechanic father's tool box, and no money. So thank you. Understanding comes from perspective and I feel this project and your commentary on professional builders deserves some background.
There's a lot of good history with me and the friend that is having me finish this car. We know each other well, and that leads to few misunderstandings or mistaken assumptions between us. In terms of this engine and it's performance level - It has some fresh crank machining, fresh rings and bearings, and some new performance parts in it. Some oiling system tweaks, some builders tweaks, but not everything is new or improved. It's not the new stuff I worry about. It's the little parts that are used and not improved that can fail and cause problems. I'd guess the HP level 280-300 with good torque right off idle, which is what I thought he'd need and what he wanted. I doubt this will ever get dyno'd or track raced so truth may never be known. While it was running on the stand I put my hand on his shoulder and said "You do realize this is not a race engine. Stock used parts. STOCK.... USED.... PARTS... It's not going to hold up to 150mph highway flat footing or 6500 shifts. Consider red line 5K or a little over. Tops."
I'm pretty much a realist. If one's expectation is 100% reliability with high power levels, one has to spend the money to achieve goals. As it stands, this budget engine rescue cost him about $2K in parts and labor, not including the new-10-years-ago sixpac or the initial purchase price of a running engine which when included would push it over $5500. $2500 of that is for the 6bbl. So if it was replaced it with a stock AVS and iron intake with a carb kit it would prob be $250-300 to get that on the engine and running. It would go thousands more to restore the machining, beef it up, get the power up another 100hp, and another full service life with an aftermarket single 4bbl.
My point to all this is the "End" expectation will initially determine the means required to get there. Listen to qualified professionals. Because if the means are not there, the end will be what it will be. Most enthusiasts want more than they realistically need, and many struggle to needlessly spend what they feel they have to. But at some point one has to spend.
