O.K. You asked. I think you should save your time and money and just use the stock engine and gears if all you want to do is drive cruises and go to local shows. A 216 will suit that purpose quite well and with the original gears to boot. If you want cool looking vintage hot rod parts, they are available on ebay and relatively cheap for that motor. Dual exhaust and it will sound cool. And good luck on the sanding!
