A basic 440 with the little lunati 268 up to maybe as large as a Mopar 509, decent intake, carb, headers and compression. Reworked oe heads. That's all you need. The rest (and there's a lot that isn't being discussed) is up to you.

Develop a feel for what a 440 really is and really does, inherently.

The truth is it's already one of the most badass street engines ever, and needs only a little help to run pretty darn hard.

Learn to build, tune and drive that. Get your feet wet first.
Work your way up. Listen to what Brad just told you: he knows his $#1+.

X pile of parts ain't always going to give you Y horsepower. Old dudes with lots of experience make it sound easy, and rattle off specs like it's no big deal. Well, it's no big deal when you've been after it for a long time. I don't recommend starting out with a 10 thousand dollar motor unless you're a trust fund baby.