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Q: My father gave me a 267 Chevy small block that came from a Malibu. I’d like to drop it into my 1960s-era Chevy truck but I don’t think it’s a strong-enough engine.

I was planning to overbore it to a 305 and put in a Scat 4340 forged crank and H-beam rods. Then I’m going to add an Edelbrock Victor Jr. open plenum intake, a Holley Ultra Double Pumper 650 cfm car, and a COMP Cams Thumpr camshaft.

Do these parts seem like a good selection? I’m new to the automotive scene.

A: Welcome to the wrench-turning hobby! Just a warning: It’s addicting.

You may want to hold on to the 267 for a future project.

A stronger choice for your truck would be a stock 350 Chevy small block. You wouldn’t need to overbore it or add the crank and rods. You’ve picked a quality intake and carb, however they don’t operate in the best powerband for a truck application.

Instead, consider using an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold with a 600 cfm carburetor.

This combination will start building power at 1,500 rpm—which is perfect for your pickup. With the addition of your Thumpr cam, you’ll generate some serious power and be able to run on pump gas.

Have fun with your new hauler!

This is another in a series of weekly Q&A Mailbag sessions with Summit Racing‘s tech department, in which there are hundreds more. Click here to see them all.