[SteveR]

Asking around is a good start. It might keep you from making some mistakes. The first thing to do is stop looking at the catalogs. That Eagle rotating assembly MIGHT last up to 450hp before it explodes. Those heads wont do it. Dont look at cams based on what numbers you THINK might be good. Ask bracket racers what they use. Talk to guys that have been building these motors for a while. If you want the motor to be done right, everything that goes into it must be complimentary to one another. intake to your heads to your rpm band to your bore x stroke to your CR to your vehicle weight to your rear. Randomly slapping it together will equal a car that wont run its number, if at all, and definitely inconsistently. And thats if it doesnt blow up. Putting together a 600hp small block isnt cheap, and the example 1QWIKBIRD had is really good;

"There is a sign on the wall in a friends shop and it reads something to this effect:

Pick any two of the following three things:
1. Fast Car
2. Cheap Price
3. Good Work

Because

A fast car with good work don't come cheap.

A fast car at a cheap price won't stay together long

A car with good work and cheap price isn't fast."