Nearing the point of no return ! Found a local machinist with lots experience on stovebolts . Would like bounce my ideas off the board for your opinions. Here's my plan...'59 235 block and 848 head to be hot tanked and checked over . Want to bore 30 over and install Ross "Mcgurk dog turd " pistons on 270 GMC rods (full floaters and raise the pin 0.19 ). Shave the heads ,clean up the valve chamber, have the whole she-bang balanced and the crank drilled for a fluid balancer. Is there anything else I should be having done ? Am I missing anything ? Any thoughts on what kind of horsepower I'll be looking at ? All thoughts and opinions will be much appreciated ! Thanks in advance .. Mark aka Roadrash

Forgot to mention plans call for a Clifford 4 barrel intake with a 390cfm Holley 4150 with a Patrick's E-2 cam

Convert to full flow oil filter. How to in out Tech Tips section.

Make sure you port the head, you wont gain much by adding a bigger cam and more compression if you dont. California Bill's book shows some upgrades to do in that area to get the most benefit out of the head.

Thank you Beater... had'nt thought of converting to full flow, should have been at the top of the list ! Was going to port the head originally... the Clifford site wasn't recomending it for that intake.....re-read the article ....that was for street use, porting back in the plan ! Thank you CNC .
Anymore input, 1st attempt at building a race motor, realistically how much horsepower can I expect ? Also what be an upper limit on RPM ?
Thanks Mark

Porting is important and helpful as well is increasing your intake valve size and high lift rockers. Give the cam a chance, don't flatten it by making it do all the work. Share the load in the valve train. Make sure you take good care of your rotating assembly as well. Blue line/Shot Peen your crank and wet mag it too. Balance everything.... and I mean EVERYTHING in your rotating assembly.