Sounds like fun! I just received a set of Japanese Diesel pistons that look like they can be adapted to a 216 with a 235 stroke by fitting bushings into the wrist pin holes. Those wrist pins are 1 1/16" diameter, which will allow a lot of leeway on compression height by offsetting the pin hole in the bushings, and the piston crown is around 1/2" thick- - - -so I can do a lot of whittling there if needed. The pistons weigh a LOT less than a cast iron 216 piston, even with the heavy duty Diesel construction factored in. Fun stuff! I just ordered some custom length H beam connecting rods for a big block Chevy to adapt to some of the stroker engines I've got on the drawing board.
Kevin- - - - -you could send Schneider Cams in San Diego a good 216 core and get them to put a 261/Corvette lobe on it, or get somebody to turn the bearing journals down on a Melling CCS-1 cam to fit a 216 block. Either way, you'll have a slightly hotter cam to go with that extra displacement.
