Need some of y'all to review my logic and provide some advice.

[cjohnson6772]

I've got a '72 SWB Super Cheyenne. The engine in the truck is a stock 4 bolt 350 and TH 350 trans. I've had a TPI on the truck for about 5 years now. I love the simplicity and drive-ability of fuel injection. The engine is blowing smoke and using a significant amount of oil. I just have the valve seals replaced and it hasn't seemed to help. I've basically determined that to fix the issue that I would need to re ring the engine. This would basically mean taking the engine out (and front clip off) and I figure I would wind up spending at least $500 in parts and labor to have the engine re ringed and still have a stock gen I 350. The truck gets 14.5 mpg on a trip which is fine, but I can't take it on long interstate trips due to no overdrive which I hate so I would want to do a 700R4 swap when I re ring the engine. I figure all said and done I will spend at least $1000 on the re ring and OD trans.

So this presents some options:

-I have the original block to the truck in storage at the moment. I could build a 383 roller engine for the truck based on the original block and keep the TPI. But I figure I will spend a lot of $$$ getting the TPI up to snuff to feed a healthy 383. The plus side is that it would be the original block and very torquey. Would swap to 700R4 at the same time.

-re ring current engine and drive it. Would swap to 700R4 at the same time.

-Find an LQ9 engine and 4l60e to bring the truck into the 20th century.

-Find a truck 5.3 and 4l60e and add some bolt ons.

My goal is to have a truck I can drive to Cali on the interstate at 80 mph with no worries if need be. The truck will never be a Corvette I know that but I want decent power. I think 380/380 hp/tq is a minimum goal if I build/swap engines.

Also very important to me is all the finishing details. For instance I want all my factory gauges to work if I go to an LS engine.

From experience can anyone recommend the best way forward and give me a REALISTIC budget for their recommended option? Things to watch out for?