[OrrieG]

I have had street cars with big horsepower and cars with low horsepower. My experience has been the more your push it, the more time you spend messing with it to keep it running right. With todays engines you can get legitimate 300-350 hp with no problems once you get it set up right. When I was young I did not mind having to screw around with carbs and ignition in the middle of the dark and rain. Now that I am older it is nice to just go out jump in and drive. My Chevelle probably makes 300 HP with a TH350 and in 16 years as a DD has never let me down without a warning and that was expected, starter, fuel pump and battery.

All the engines I have are sbc, carburated, pre 74 with th350 trans just because I like the simplicity and in Idaho they are not smog tested. But I do find an LS with FI and an overdrive tranny attractive for a future project. I agree with those that say keep it like GM spent millions engineering it.