well, i think lifting the wheels off the ground is a feasable task. however, you need to take into consideration the weight of the frontend. swaybars, inner fender skirts, heater/ac unit. all these things are weight. now engine size isnt going to apply in my opinion, again, light front end and efficient weight transfer to plant the rear is going to all help here. a small block could easily lift the front end off the ground but gonna need to put a lot of money into it to do so. I think 600hp at the flywheel should get the job done. money being an issue what combination will be the cheapest and most efficent for making 600 hp. small block with spray might be the cheapset but 600hp in a bigblock is much easier to attain and be more reliable, easier on parts. there is no replacement for displacement, all though lifting the wheels of the ground is cool, its not the most efficent way to get down the track.