I would side with the 400 crowd. I built my 383 though and am very happy with it. The thing is most guys in the clubs and such simply cruise there cars around anyways. Very few actually drag race them and it can be pretty risky to go out and be recklass on a back road now-a-days, cops don't let anything slide, soccer moms call the police when they even HEAR your car, and insurance for tickets will skyrocket or be dropped all together. Put simply there is little tolerance for that stuff. Bottom line is I've seen 500+ inch, nitroused, gear driven motors driven around like grandma cars with occasional blasts to show off the goods. Yes they are crazy fast but rarely are they used for their intended purpose.

With that being said a muscle car with a powertrain that you can drive anywhere and pull 12-13 seconds in the quarter mile is pretty darn respectable. That is easily done with a built 383 that can look factory. and you do get the benefit of keeping an allready nicely optioned stock roadrunner...well stock.

Personally I love the idea of a stroked 400 though and make it look like a 383. I have a 400 sitting just for that rainy day.

440's are awesome motors, but I think too often 383's are shelved. My 383 keeps up just fine with a couple of the 440 cars here in town. A lot has to do with the whole combo too...gears, gam, carb, etc. I simple gear change can help a lot actually.