Reply to "Thoughts on bottom end rebuild and or stroker kits"

In the current "Engine Masters" magazine from Pop-Hot Rodding, there's a comparo of intakes and cams on a 'basic' 030-over 351-C buildup. I noticed that the worst as far as power delivered over 380 bhp with iron heads, stock intake and a Boss 351 cam. The best was some 50 bhp more. How much is enough? 400 bhp will push a Pantera up to 180 mph on top and turn the tires in 3rd gear.
A good tight bottom end on stock rods & a stock crank thats been cross-drilled, forged pistons and premium rings, will give you more power and capability than most drivers can use anywhere, any time. Save your stroker money for a good set of alloy heads & intake, a tuner carb and start trying to figure out which cam you'd like to try. On a mostly-street car, more displacement= less mileage, and less top end due to a lower redline (unless the innards are billet-everything or you regear the ZF). Stopping for fuel every 100 miles on tours is a real downer...
There's a really nice pro-built 385 Fontana for sale in N CA that dynoed at 615 bhp before final tuning and was driven less than 1000 miles, for $25,000 (less than it cost to build). The owner said it wasn't much fun on the street roasting 12" wide tires every time he touched the gas in his '73 and was undriveable in damp weather, so is building a nice street 351C of around 400 horses.