That write-up on The H.A.M.B. is a good one. The 307 has indeed gotten the short end of the stick in the reputation department; properly built, it can be every bit as good as any other "Mouse". One of the performance magazines (Super Chevy, or maybe Chevy High Performance, or one of the others) did a budget 307 build some years back, and got a very good performing engine by just following the basics of performance engine building. When you look at the engines pedigree, you will find that it is the homely sister of the great Corvette engines of the late fifties and early sixties - and they were not slouches. Dress her up right, and she will not be unattractive, at all.