I'm starting to do some research for a budget race /muscle car I would like to start building this summer. I was thinking about a mid 80's Monte Carlo with a Chevy 400 Small block and Muncie M22 4-speed. I've been tinkering around on desktop dyno 2000 and I've got a pretty stout combo. I want to set the car up for road course racing and occational street floggings.

Block: Chevy 400 SB 4.125 Bore/3.75 Stroke
Cylinder Heads: Air Flow Research 220 CC Race Ready 66 CC chambers w. 2.080 int/1.600 exh valves
12.5:1 Compression
900 CFM carb on Tunnel Ram Intake Manifold
Large diameter long tube headers
and a tweaked version of the ZZ4 camshaft.
Cam Specs:
LCA - 116 | Intake Centerline - 114.5 | Int. Duration - 275 | Ehx. Duration - 300 | Int. Lift - .575 | Exh. Lift - .610 | 1 degree advanced timing

DD2K says this engine should make 633 HP @ 6500 RPM and 571 FT LBS @ 5000 RPM.

Would spinning to 7K be safe assuming the rotating assy. is forged? Is 12.5:1 compression too high to run on 93 or 94 octane? Should a solid lifter camshaft be used? Does a 305 and a 400 SB mount the same way or would different motor mounts be required? There are probably more questions I'm forgetting, if I think of any later I'll post them up.

Thanks, Chris