Hi all,

Wanted to introduce myself. My name is Bryan, 27 years old, and I currently live in Oroville, California, originally from San Jose, Ca. I bought a 1983 Monte Carlo SS clone about 5 years ago and have always dreamed of the day I could think about seapping out the 200k mile 305 for something... more.

I revently got a stable job here in town and it seems like I will have no trouble saving money for improvements to the Monte. One problem, although I have wished for an opportunity to make a living working on cars and engines, life had other plans and I currently do not have the time to learn myself or the opportunity to change career paths. I have ideas and plans, but I don't have the practical knowledge to know how to execute those plans or realize my ideas. Where in the forum should I start a thread about an engine build (that I will have to pay someone else to actually build) if I need advice on part recommendations for my plans?

For example, I would love to have either a 350 sbc or 400 sbc, pushing out at least 400 hp, but would like to achieve that with about $5k-$6k. I also do not plan on racing it, it will definitely be a street car and regular driver, but I don't want to compromise too much either on performance mods; I would like to be able to stomp on it on the highway or blow a mustang or two out of the water at the stoplight now and then. Where in the forums should I turn to and what obvious advice can you all give me if any? I'm tempted to buy a crate edelbrock 350 with the power I am looking for, but am hoping that you all can help me piece together something like this without shelving out 8k or more. Thanks in advance.