Take in to consideration the cost of the machine work on the block. The best way to figure out which way to go on that one, for me anyway, would be to figure out which one has the best projected torque / horse power / $$ ratio. I have several different types of vehicles ranging from my 56 chevy stepside, 67 chevelle, chevy several 4x4's and of course 91 camero and 01 T/A. The chevelle and the T/A are the fastest of the stable but are different in characteristics. I have a 388 in the chevelle with a 292 cam, torquer 2 intake with an eldelbrock carb, mandatory headers and mandatory electric cooling fans and fuel pump, roller lifters and rockers, 202 heads with an MSD 6AL hooked to a Mallory Unilite. It has great low end torque, horsepower that is out of this world, mild "lope" at idle and still carrys 16 pounds of vaccuum at idle for the power brakes! My 77 fullsize longbed 4x4 has a 355 in it for the torque aspect of the motor, with the same intake/carb/ignition setup as the chevelle. It will climb a tree and then yank it down! The 76 fullsize blazer is running a 406 with a dual tunnel ram high rise with edlebrocks setup with a progressive linkage, deadnbear throttle stops, nos holeshot, crank trigger, unilite with a crab cap hooked to a 6AL with a total roller top end. It sets on a 6" lift with 35" tires and was built to stomp mud holes and keep stompin' till they are dry! Hp and enough torque to twist driveshafts into pretelz and axles and axle housings into boat anchors. Camero, totally stock LT1. Enough said. T/A has a LS in it and is a continuing work in progress but like any other kind of bird, I feel that it needs just a little more "alltitude" to be where it should. As for the 56 P/U, I just bought a ZZ 4 motor out of a wrecked Z28 and it is sitting in the shop still on the motor stand so can't really say much for it. I'm not really a big block fan due to the whole weight/power ratio along with replacement parts are hard to find and expensive when you do find em. But if cost isn't a factor then they are the way to go due to the fact that a modded out big block squeezes out more than a small block ever could. Keep in mind, this is just my opinion and preferences. Have fun and good luck!
