Need some good suggestions.

Well, I've got a 1969 Grand Torino. Right now it has no motor or transmission. I'm rebuilding this thing from the floor up, inside and out. This will be my first time doing something like this, but it's been my dream for a while.... and I have no idea where to start. So, I figured I'd find out what I should put in this tank.
What I really want is something with enough raw power to get this badass up on the back end. If I can't do that, I atleast wanna be able to totally crush those Honda Civics and Mitsu Eclipse's on the street. Any suggestions as to what I should get for my Torino?
(Money isn't really an option since I'm looking at this as a VERY long-term project, but cheaper the better. I'd really rather buy just the core and customize it, if possible.)