Actauly Ed, not to argue to argue, but the 383 is a great choice these days to use. For one, there are a ton of them that people have horded, can be found still, and make a great starting point. Ever heard of a 496 big block chevy? Well, its very easy to build a 496 out of a 383. Whats wrong with that?
If you have a 400 block, then use it. If you have a 413, they can work also for a nice stroker. If your talking just building off the core, and not building a stroker, then I would sorta agree, but for what he is looking to do, 450hp is so simple to make with a 383, why not use it if you have it, and thats all he really wants? Mild porting on any of the mopar heads, and a mild hydrauilic cam, and they can make 450hp easily.
Frank
Advanced Performance
www.get-ap.com