[rickmoss]

There are a lot of good suggestions and good information -- but, I'm hindered in my immediate start by the fact that I'm currently on extended assignment to Singapore and will only be getting back to Oz intermittantly this year. I don't have the room here in Singapore to start anything but data gathering at this point (anything fun is illegal in Singapore anyway) and get ready to write some big cheques when I return. A completion date of 2008 doesn't seem practical.

But -- I just wanted to get some verification on something.

The Chev L76 or the beefier LS2 are(in my opinion) modern, UGLY engines that look like they come out of a Saturn or a Hyundai and seem to be quite expensive to boot (compared to comparable complete, drop-in Ford crate engines).

Will these modern technical marvels deliver a throaty, head-turning, envy-inspiring, testosterone induced roar from the side exhaust?

Will they require access to NASA computers to tune and keep running? Unlike the FORD engines that can be timed with a slightly modified flashlight.

What are the chances of getting a street-legal classic looking engine with a serpentine belt system and the airfilter sitting like a chromium crown on top of the carb?