At the end of the day I doubt I have anymore money in my Gen III build than I would in a comparably powered SB or BB with EFI. Things I DIDNT have to buy:
Aftermarket heads and the usual work they require
Aftermarket main caps and their machine work
Aftermarket block
Aftermarket valves
Aftermarket rocker arms and shafts
Aftermarket timing set
Aftermarket water pump
Aftermarket intake
Aftermarket valve covers
Aftermarket "special" gaskets
Aftermarket balancer
Aftermarket distributor
Aftermarket plug wires
Aftermarket ignition
Or aftermarket coil lol.....

72swinger it appears I have made a few mistakes on my build and your list doesn't work for me.

Glad we're on the same path Wade...

Im sure Alex didnt want to imply it was easy....but unfo these chasss dynos con people into thinking it is.

It is by far the easiest way to make power with manners. Its not an all out race ready solution, but it can play one on the weekends.

The dyno calculators are a sub standard tool. They are based in ancient math and hardware designed in the 1950's.

They've got no place in anything LSX or 3G hemi related.

Mal, I've said it once...I'll say it again. Get rid of the carbs and get rid of that "custom" cam. You could transform that car in a heartbeat. You've been over THITEKS, a Supercharger and now pistons and a cam. Spending dollars before your pennies are all stacked.

One of the fastest 6.1's to date was a completely stock 6.1 shortblock with 60k miles, ported 6.1 heads, a 21x/22x cam and a ported 90mm intake.

11.0x in a 3900 LB magnnum. Look him up..."Hemiwagn" greg davies.

Why reinvent the wheel when you can just copy it?

But I love the smell of gas in the morning!!........and Im not ready to admit defeat yet!!! LOL!

But seriously....my objective is to not chase 1/10ths.....the blower idea was a " band aid"......

.........its more about getting an 'efficient' level of performance out of what I have..

And of course tracking down the 'inefficiencies' has caused me to shift focus from the intake to the retarded nature of these 'custom' cams...which I think is part of the broader problem.

If I can get the stick installed at a decent ICL....It'll be making power whete it should.

Re calculators...I think you're making a harsh judgement on them........try the wallace one...I think it seems pretty accurate if you use the weight/hp inputs.