318 Senior Project Build

My best advise is to take it apart and measure everything before you buy any parts. Measure the deck height at all four corners with the same piston and rod assy. Will your bores clean up at standard, .020, .030, .060? Is the crank standard, .010, .020, 030? Or you may have new parts already in there, or they could be 40 year old beat to death parts. 300 Horse Power is not that hard to make with factory 318 block and heads. Take a compression check of all the cylinders before you take it apart. Do the short block right. You can always change heads in a day. Bore and hone with torque plates and with the mains torqued also. Have the rods reconditioned with new ARP bolts. Balance the crank assy. Use a windage tray. Clean the block with soap and water when you think it is clean. Every passage and surface, Dry it fast and then oil it down, paint the outside. Good Luck.