I started out about 10 years ago with racing my monte and my forst motor was a 406" stock crank and rods, trw 12.5 to 1 compression a crane solid flat tappet cam 520 540 lift, gm phase II bowtie heads mild port job by jim terrian form mich, port matched victor jr intake 2" spacer and a 800 cfm holly dp, 1-7/8" headers a 400 turbo and 4500 stall *" converter and 488 gears and it was a beast!!! would run 10.80-90's all day!! I eventualy put the motor in a 78 monza and shot a 250 shot on it till I finally grenaded it!! it ran 9.40's in a 2800 pound monza with 10 tires through mufflers on the hose...
I dont think i had more than 3000 into the whole motor..