i have these thoughts for an engine rebuild:
- rebuild the engine with stronger crank and pistons
- rebuild to almost stock with a slight overbore if applicable
- use the LT4 GM Performance Parts conversion kit

Will the above make a good combination? and what kind of horsepower am i looking at? will the combination pass smog? and lastly can i make the engine a 396 or 383 and still get power with the LT4 kit and pass smog?

 

how much power do you want to make?

-if you just want a 355 just use the stock crank.
-generally when you rebuild you do bore .020 or .030 over depending on what crank and rods you use and your preference.
-id just get some AI or LE ported stock heads. they flow better then the out of the box LT4 heads do. and with a custom grind cam from one of the above mentioned guys you will make more power then the LT4 pkg.

yes you can make is pass emmissions. the biggest thing about passing emmissions is a good set of cats. and FWIW, more cubic inches never hurt power.

 

lt4= huge waste of money if you wanna pass emissions do a 396 with a cc306 and heads that flow good around 270 intake at .600 and 230 exhaust at .600 (before anyone jumps in and say they need to flow across the scale they will if done by a pro)