OK, sorry if this has been posted and talk about before but I'm thinking of building a 383. My daily-driver truck right now has a 305 that's already bored .030 over and she's getting a might tired. Add to the fact that I just bought a motorcycle that I plan to ride more as transportation and you've got the makings of a cool plan .

Ok, I know I know, it's a truck and technically not a hotrod. I'm not trying to beat ricers or some others with more money than brains, but I'd still like more power (which translates into maybe a longer living engine) for towing, passing, and other stuff. Originally I'd like to keep it around $4000 and 400rwhp. This includes having it assembled, my old engine ripped out and the new one installed. I think 400 maybe a little too much to expect.

Here's the plan: 350 two piece rear main seal block, 383 rotating assembly (from SCAT, any other good ones?), edelbrock performer heads with 70cc combustion chambers, edelbrock performer intake, edelbrock performer 700cfm electric choke carb, not sure about cam (small base circle? I know what it means, looking for suggestions), probably some good lifters and rockers. I'm running a th350c right now, which may be flying out the window, it was rebuilt/replaced last year (and has a leak that just won't stop!) and I doubt that she'll handle the power of the engine going in for very long so I'm either on the lookout for a th400 or a built-up 700r4 (I'd like to have the over drive). I know I need a new exhaust system (this one is a little pieced together and slightly too loud, so I may be going with flowmasters instead of the glasspacks now on it). I'll be putting a tranny kewler and oil cooler as well as a better radiatior (maybe a diesel truck radiator?). So what I"m asking is for some suggestions. Now I aint' looking to pull every hp out of it, I'd still like to pass a sniffer test (my truck's an '84, I'm in Texas so a few more years no more emissions test), but with cats, it's not too hard to pass.

Obviously, I'm not doing this tomorrow morning, I'd just like to get started on the saving/parts buying/swap meet shopping stuff. Thanks!