All I can really say is take weight off. Throw a 454 if you wan't, put some good pistons in, good performance cam (maybe a radical cam), good ignition system, etc. If you really got the money then try out a aluminum block. heh, just messing about that, but I say just work on one thing at a time like say put in a good cam, lifters, pistons, etc and then work on quick bolts ons and things of that sort like headers, exhaust, 4 barrel carb, etc. Also they have some sweet crate engines out there. There are ton's of ways to hook your thing up to make it haul ass. Make sure you got a good enough tranny to take the power and all too. Go through some a lot of mags and look at parts and projects on there and see the combonations of parts people use on their drag or street cars.