The "crate" description isn't helpful. Anybody can wrap a "crate" around anything, from a steaming bucket of ordure, to a 800HP Cup motor. The fact that someone packaged it for shipment at some point doesn't tell a thing about what it is. In fact, it being a "crate" motor pretty much guarantees that's it's been rebuilt, which guarantees that it's NOT "stock", and furthermore, guarantees that it's just a bunch of parts somebody assembled, which could be practically anything (and probably is...).
Same goes for saying "stock".... OK, "stock" what? 71 LT1? 78 L48? 98 L31? 66 L79? 92 L05? "Stock" covers ALOT of ground, when used by itself. Even if it was "stock", which you can be 100% ironclad certain it isn't, you'd have to know more for that to be of any value by itself.
Give us pics of the pistons, or part #s; head casting #s, and any machine work you can spot that's been done to them or measurements you can take, such as valve guides cut, studs & guide plates, valve sizes, valve springs (diameter), or whatever else; any #s off the cam; anything else you can find that might be pertinent such as markings on the crank & rods or on the block.
It's hard to talk about make something "better" if you don't know what you're starting out with. Anything we suggest here, might actually be a downgrade; or we might miss something really critical. Likewise, anything you can tell us about how it runs now, that you'd like to change, would help.
