[chefk85]

Go captainfabs route. I also asked this question and after more than a year of contemplating am getting ready to take his advice. You just cant beat 2k for a long block with vortec heads that you can slap your own intake/carb/efi combo on and also have a warranty. I looked at lots of options. build myself from bottom up, top end kits on a used engine, LS engine etc and I think Captainfab is spot on with his recommendation. Its a roller engine that with a cam swap, long tubes, eddie rpm, and 650 cfm carb could crank out 300plus hp and close to 400tq. For 1100 bucks more you can throw a mildly built th350 trans behind it from summit and have a reliable engine/trans combo that should last you a long time.