If push comes to shove you could always raise the body a bit rather than cutting the hood. I saw a 250 in a 57 in the junk yard years ago. Granted it was pretty stock looking, and had homemade front engine mounts on it. And a 250 would be shorter and probably rev higher safely with the shorter stroke. Food for thought!
Good Luck with your project. At least you had a goal in mind.
David Chandler
