"...but why another 350 chevy?"
Rick,
I attribute the small block Chevy engine’s extreme popularity to the fact that since 1955 when it first showed up GM has produced several variations of it in vast numbers. The aftermarket is flooded with specialty parts to make the sbc perfectly suitable to power anything and everything from a reliable street rod to a screaming Bonneville or other race car. There are aftermarket sbc intake manifolds, camshafts and cylinder heads perfectly suited to any conceivable use, Because these parts have been made for decades in such high volumes they cost a lot less, both new and used, than the same parts for other engines. For example, I have bought two Chevy genuine GM gear reduction mini starters in pristine condition at swap meets for $20 each. One is on the engine in my street rod roadster and one is a spare in case it is ever needed. Other examples are all the parts that went into the roadster sbc engine build in 2003 that cost way less than the same parts for any other V8 engine.
So, if the objective is to get the most bang for the buck the choice is obvious. If the objective is to have something unusual there are plenty of other engine choices out there.
