Quote: I am seeing that. It's nearly a couple hundred bucks to clean up a block and tell you if it's OK to even use it!
What is to be included in your 3k budget? Is this a short block?, long block, or complete sitting between the fender wells ready to run?
I'd been asked more than once to see what can be done on a $2500 budget. This was a few years ago. The guys that were asking were starting with running low compression 440 engines. After looking in detail at ALL of the costs and being true to the budget, there was only one conclusion: Prepare a good set of 915 heads, mill the heads to the CR you can get away with, and add a good cam and timing chain. Nothing to the block. That's it. You'll maybe have a couple hundred dollars left over, at best. That would be the best performance gain given the budget. Today, maybe substitute the Stealth or Edelbrock heads for the 915s.
JohnRR - If you went 98 mph with a stockish 383, that is as good as I've ever witnessed. I cannot ever remember seeing a stockish 383 (even some with headers and aftermarket carb) break 100 mph in a B body. Enough gear and tire and they might go high 13s.
