[brainsboy]

A 408 with 6" rods is basicaly a good motor for nitrous because of the short rod. If you dont plan on using nitrous go with a longer rod. A 6.125 or 6.200 .... In order to use a 6" rod you need to have the crank counter weights cut down .200" also you need to have custom pistons made. No one makes a piston for the 6" rod and 4" stroke. You need a compression height of 1.480. So that leaves two options for saving money. You can buy a set of 350chevy pistons with a 1.53ch and mill them down to fit or use a thicker head gasket. Also you could buy a chevy small block 383 piston with a 1.43ch and dry deck your block down to work. Both use a .927 pins. you need to have valve reliefs cut in the pistons since chevys are in the wrong place. If you use the 383chevy pistons pick up the 5cc dish by the time you cut the reliefs with 64cc heads you will have 10.5:1 compression. The only other choice are custom pistons at 450$+
As far as the heads clevlands will take too much time and money to fit and there are so many after market heads that are better. Also most any aluminum head on the market will be enough to get you in the 450hp range.

Ben