Originally Posted by Itoldyouso
Zak, if I came across as a little short this morning, it was because everyone on here, save one person, is telling you the 216's are not the most wise choice, and you are still insisting you want to go ahead with it. Sure, it is your car, and if you want to put a Briggs and Straton lawnmower engine in it, that is your right. But at some point you have to say to yourself (A) Why did General Motors and everybody else who had splash lubrication and babbitt bearings get away from them, and (B) Why are all these guys who have been around the block a few times telling me to go to a later engine?
If you are looking for a learning car, this could be a great one. You can learn to pound out dents, fix brakes and suspension, and the myriad of other tasks you will be doing. That is great, but a large number of cars that are started from projects, like yours, never see the road, because the builder gets in over his/her head, and loses interest .
As for the Vette and TransAm, I wasn't dumping on you for owning them, but when you said "I think that I'm off to a good start with the cars I've already had. I had two cars before I ever even got my permit.", it hit me that unless a 15 year old dropped out of school and got a full time job, those cars were probably gifts.
You asked for advise, and sometimes that advise is contrary to what we want to hear. If the members of this forum didn't care, they would just feed you a ration and blow you off as some 15 year old who doesn't have a clue. The fact you got so many responses to your post shows that is not the case.
Good luck with your car.
Don