If you've spent the money to buy a classic Chevy or any other GM ride, you're right to demand a high performance engine to go with it. You wouldn't buy a ten-bedroom mansion and leave the walls bare, would you? By the same token, what's inside your car is just as important as the custom paint job, the chrome wheels, and your polished plate grille.

You want a dependable Chevy engine--that much is established--but how much power is too much? Is a Ram Jet 502 with 565 foot-pounds of torque too muscular for your trip to the beach? Well, if you live five blocks away, probably. But if you plan to use your hot-rod as your primary means of transportation, you want to be sure the engine performs at its peak.

The Right High Performance Engine

Say instead that your emphasis is on restoration, not performance. You can go with a much smaller and affordable crate engine that's equally reliable, such as the GMR 350. You'll still get the same nodular cast-iron crankshaft, dual-plane intake manifold, and steel valve covers, but for thousands less.

But that's not enough to dissuade most hobbyists from buying a high performance engine. Once you've got the style, you want the substance to match. Fortunately, there are hundreds of dealers, many of whom you can find on the Web, who can give you a great deal on the performance engine you demand.