[Fred Douglass]

A-pie,
I am not an owner/driver yet, so, for what it's worth, I can tell you I've garnered enough information to make MY decision. I've ridden in a HUGE-block by Dove (in Rick Long's car), in an SPF with Ford Motorsports 393, a Butler with a 39_-something Chebbie (!?), an SPF w/ a 460, an FFR with a blown 302, and an SPF with Dean Woodruff's 418 "Stage 4" stroker. This latter ride was at HOC w/ Dean driving and I gotta tell ya---the previous rides faded a bit in my memory! I gotta go with Mr. Fixit's wise cousel that too little engine soon gets to be WAY too little engine as you build "seat-time". In my view (NOT Mr. Fixit's) too MUCH engine inhibits the desire to use the car every day (in this respect, I am speaking as a gracelessly-aging [semi-] Olde Pharte). I think Dean Woodruff's 418 stroker (wh/ yields 504 hp and 528 ft/lbs) is the best compromise for me. Rick Long loved to drive around with close to 700 hp. The SPF with the FoMoSpo 393 was pulling around 450 hp and similar torque, but the owner was a "young guy" (less than 40 makes 'em young to me) and he is now contemplating a bigger engine. I can tell you, if you want snot and ocular fluid mixing in the back of your skull--go big-block for sure. If you want a little more tractability, go sb "made halfway big" (406-418 stroker). I yield the remainder of my time to the more knowledeable guys on this site... Good Luck.