Can't decide on how to go.....help

DOTMan, You're in Central CT? Anywhere near CCSU? I am going to school there part time! Ever go to the Berlin Trunpike? :D
Lots of CT folks on here. :cool:

I think you'll have an awesome machine no matter which way you go but I would lean towards the small block/auto setup too. It seems to me that you can build this car to be as fast as you want with this setup and it will indeed be MUCH cheaper. In a B-Body, the bigblock would be a no-brainer but you're pushing around a 1/4 ton less with these machines so a small block is just wonderful.

The biggest thing that I have taken away from from my time with my modded Miatas is that balance is actually the thing that determines how enjoyable a car is. If you have tons of power, you'd better have awesome suspension and huge brakes...neither of which these cars tend to have. Also, offsetting the feel from the extreme nose-heavy weight distribution would be all but impossible. On the drag strip it would be okay but when you have any turns at all, I suspect that the small block would be a lot more pleasurable to drive.