my take is for most of us... we drive on the street, back roads, hot roding .... ie cheap , that works.... is the bottom line. smiles for the barest number of $$'''''. bargains that work...... my motivaton.
These words I can get behind! Fun really starts to go out the window when the monetary costs get out of hand. It's almost intangible but it is very real. My fave engine ever (aforementioned 360) cost me less than $1000.00 in parts and yet had no right to perform as well as it did. So I figured (incorrectly) that a more powerful engine (408 stroker) would give me a ROI even greater than the previous engine. It did not--not even close. I guess out running WAY more powerful and WAY more expensive big blocks really floats my boat. It's not and never has been just about the engine. I don't want to convolute this thread with the whole car as a combo as it is really about what I consider the bare minimum in order to have a good/great performing engine without fancy, high dollar parts being the primary focus.
I guess in the simplest of terms---go ahead and re-ring/gasket your Craigslist engine for a couple hundred bucks. Or take the same Craigslist core into your local machine shop and give them a decent budget and a cheque to match. Pick your poison.
I'm simply trying to find out even for myself the most effective route to a really good performing engine without ALL of the fancy parts. I'm biased but a properly machined engine should be able to do more with less if ya know what I mean.
You pick up any car rag for the last 15 years or so and you are programmed to believe you NEED forged pistons and a forged crank or your engine will run like crap, be powerless and blow up the first time you lay into it. I know I'm exaggerating but not by much. This thread is just an exercise to illustrate what I consider the bare minimum for a real strong street small block. Nothing more. J.Rob