If your anything like me, you’ll quickly get bored with the new power too. Just something to think about before deciding to stroke the small block.

If you truly think that 500 is the magic number and it will stop there, I agree with the others that stroking and tweaking what you have would be more cost effective.

But, if there is any doubt that you’ll want more in the future, I’d go with the big block now. In my opinion, it would be a lot easier to make the jump to 600hp/torque with a big block if you get tired of the 500 that you’re shooting for.

My engine made 425 HP and 525 torque which took me all of 1500 miles to get used to at which point, I started playing around with it and recently did a head swap. My short block would probably get me to the 650hp range; that’s a big buffer if I continue to get bored.

As many have said before, it’s all about what you want; you need to truly consider that first before making any decisions. Be honest with yourself too; it will save you money in the long run.

I mention this because with gear heads, I don’t often see people stop; it’s never enough. Spend good money once if possible.