7000!? jesus christ I get all of my race engines (circle track cars) for about 3000 if I supply the block, and heads. My engine builder gets me anywhere from 425-450 hp out of my motors and they arent even too wild. To be honest they arent very streetable though.
A 383 should at least get you over the 300 hp barrier very very easily especially for 7000. are you sure he meant 60 more horsepower over what you have now or did he mean 60 over what a 350 crate engine is getting....which I think is anywhere from like 265-285. because that plus another 60 hp seems about right for a 383.
There is WAY more you can do with 7000, especially if you drop the motor in yourself. You can get a brand new 383 crate motor for about 4000-5000 something like that....been a a little bit since ive had to buy a crate motor but pick yourself up a chevy performance magazine even and they have 20 different crate engine ads.
Anyways I hope I gave you some kind of useful info if you need any help I have dropped in about a dozen small blocks. That doesnt include my race cars.
it's the smog laws that are holding me back. my headers cost $1200 because of smog laws. i get 1 choice of intake manifold.
he said 60+ over factory.
i could do the work myself. i have most of the tools including a nice cherry picker and engine stand. the thing that worries me is the mechanic said 15 hours of labor so for me that means at least 2 weeks. i can drop it off and have it back at the end of the week and be done with it. i figure i'll do any other work myself. gear boxes, tranny, drive-lines,....things like that i can do myself. i dread the thought of trying to change a motor myself. not that i'm not capable, it's just all the outside events involved. i'll be without a vehicle so when i break a bolt or need a gasket i'll have to find the wife, beg for another ride across town to run-down some odd bolt...... she hates when i do that to her.
my quote says..........................
350 long block....................$2163
rod bolts................................97
7" oil pan..............................156
264/270 mega cam.................150
lt1 hyd springs........................82
retainer .050tlr........................81
balance and rotate.................358
competition radius valve job.....461
then the labor.........................
misc parts.........................$1000 (quoted at the very high end)
R and R engine.....................1947
radiator flush.........................133
rod out radiator......................125
so all this plus taxes comes out to....$7247. then the motor is DONE!