Don't throw that 383 away just yet. The "Heart beat of America" had a "Better Idea" years ago and it paid off for me.
Don't take much to drop that chevy in that ford and Ride.
Bought a old pro stock Pinto had a lenco 5 and a 351C in it when I got it. 6.00s
Fun pulling gears with a 5.56 rear in the 1/8 for a while but won't getting in the money. Never knew what you were going to run. this was early 1980s.
First Chevy motor was a 383, and we dropped the gears to 4.56. PG Slowed the car up some but whole lot closer to the dial in but the motor was almost stock. 6.50s 10.5 pistons, little clean up on stock heads and a crane cam and we used the smaller 400 rods.
Ended up with a pro, Alu head 377 in the 5.80s Car weighed 1850 pounds wet.
See you already got a pit crew scooping things out inside the new ride, and its up to you which way you want to fly, but if you already got you foot in the door with a motor, why start over.
Just my thoughts.