Run which ever engine will be the most reliable while you build/rebuild the other.
I have a 440 in the car now, good motor, starts, runs, drives.
I have a 383 stroked to 438 on the stand. Big rumpty bumpty cam. Its the Road Race engine. makes all its power from 3500-6500rpms
as bad as I want the speed and power that comes with the "big motor" (the 383), I sure like the hassle free operation of the 440. But its a dog and peps out at 5000