Yes, honestly if it's just for the season I'd have to agree with a previous post and just leave the stocker in there.
Lotsa torque- heck, it was a truck engine! :)
Well was thinking this. Take it apart and and go ahead and get some better pistons along with all new bearings. Grab me some heads from IMM the aluminum street master heads and a nice roller cam, top with my 650 edelbrock avs2 carb and air gap intake..she should rock..wonder what pistons would get in that 10 to 10.5 to compression. Id imagine the combo should be good for well over 400hp