Dinobyte,
Just a little "Devil's advocate" here; Try to drive one of the high horsepower cars first & see if YOU like it driving around town. I opted for the 351 "crate" motor in my BDR for ample on the road performance and driveability. I've spoken with folks that high powered engines that won't even consider taking them out anywhere there might be a traffic jam, since they will overheat so easily.
I also chose the cloth top for appearance. I wanted to drive the car on cool days and be comfortable. I don't regret either choice. The black vinyl looks really cheap compared to the tan cloth & didn't go well with the Prism Red either
It really all depends on what you want to do with the car.
Enjoy!
Speedy