Engine opinions

[Coupeguy2001]

If you want reliable engine with a little get up and go, you can put a mild RV cam in the 283, get a set of power pak heads polished and ported, and a cleanup bore with Iron rings, silicone seals, and The right stuff on your pan and timing cover, and intake, pertronix points eliminator, Edelbrock 2101 intake, and a Holley economaster 4 barrel, and let 'er rip.
done it about 30 times, and every time, it was a successful build.
You can upgrade the heads if you want, but be mindful of the compression.
Iron headed engines can't tolerate more than 8.75 compression on today;s gas.
91 doesn't mean 91.
Not when they were designed for 100.

What I did on my 57 was to go to a wrecking yard, and buy an 88 corvette engine with the 4+3 trans, and re-ring the 350 with bearings and seals, and it's a reliable 300 horse engine with the Marine full roller cam. Torque is right up there at 360. It's the same cam in the HT383 crate motor from Chevy.
starts and runs good. Old school small block with some punch.
Used a carb instead of the TPI fuel injection, but someday, that may change.