I have a 66 Chevelle, TH400, the body is stock except for the 15inch wheels.

I am looking to build an engine that will get me in the mid - low 12s with street tires and pump gas. Shouldn't be too tough, but I am asking for suggestions.

I want to keep it streetable for highway driving.

I have a 2-bolt 454 block bored .060 (2-piece rear main seal) with a cast crank and Badger flat top 8:1 pistons. I would like to keep the pistons, but realize that may not be realistic.

I have two Holley carbs - 750cfm vacuum and a 850cfm carb. I am only going to use one of them.

Does anyone have suggestions on heads, cam, rear end gears, or anything else that might need to be done or considered, etc?

Any input would be appreciated. Budget is a concern to a degree, but any and all suggestions are requested.

Oh yea, I plan on putting aftermarket A/C on the car.

Street tires will be a problem. Consider a set of race tires for the strip.

It's cheaper to replace the pistons than the heads. What heads are on there now?

Troy.

In answer to Troy's question:

I don't have any heads yet.

All I have (unassembled) is the block, cast crank and pistons (8:1), and the carb.

I saw an auction on ebay for a forged rotating assembly I was thinking about bidding on. It was $1500 for a forged crank (4.00 or 4.25) forged pistons in any compression ratio and H-beam steel rods, plus the bearings and rings.

I think you can probably do about as well buying them outright. Check with Competition Products. You need to decide what heads you are going to use before you go buying pistons though.

Troy.