expert help needed (my first post)

Having owned dozens of big block and small block A-Body's I can tell you for sure there is nothing like a big block in an A-body. Having said that, it is not for the faint of heart to go from a small block to a big block. If I was just starting out, and since things have changed significantly since I did my first one 40 years ago, I would go with a stroker small block and embarrass big block cars...
I agree. That is I agree with big block!!!!!!!! Screw the cost of strokers for us little guys!!!! But I am not made of $$$$$$. I rather piece together any big blokc for anything it fits in/ I admit to owning 50 times more big blocks than any c i small block, but I go back 5 decades and more. Used to be I could always network and find somoene with a decent running usually freshened 383 or 400> Torque. Put it in anything and it as fun! Worth the effort. But 50 years later it take MORE work!