SN95 Short Block Suggestions?

I've contacted rick git a quote. So I know what I'm going to have to spend for the 347 stroker with the trickflow top end and an upgrade on the intake manifold to the track heat. But the problem with that route is its going be hard to get that money all at once. So I'm going the shortblock route. Ill buy that and slowly gather the rest of what I need. And build it while I drive my stocker. When its done I drop it in. This engine seems tired and I'm not sure how good my block would be for a rebuild. Is there a way to test my block now while its in the car? If it were good I could gather the rest of the engine to give to an engine builder and have the block rebuilt and the new parts installed.

My plans pretty much set. I want a new engine. Fresh block the whole nine yards. The only thing I'm up in the air about is the block. I keep hearing to forget about those blocks I originally posted but nobody has said why? What's so bad about them? Its a rebuilt bottom end all the work is done already minus the cam. Its a reputable company. I don't see the problem but I also don't know what to look for. There's no way I can install all those internal parts. I can take it on from the shortblock and that's my plan. Everyrhing from the top end portion of the build I want to be new. All accesoriess I want to be new. Hoses..... everyrhing. I wantto keep the budget low but who knows what ill spend in the long run. I would like to do all the work with my friend. He has the knowledge to show me how to do it and all the tools lifts hoists to get it done. Its going to be fun. The only thing that will change that deal is if I sonehow find a deal to have it all done professionally and that would have to be a deal I can't refuse. My friend has a mechanic that might take all the parts I bought and put ir all together and get the car eunning good for $$700-$900 depending on how smoothly everything goes. And $ 1850 if he has to rebuild my stock bottom end. That would be with me supplying all the parts like the top end and such. So if anything can be reused it would save me money. I would like everything to be new but if I can't then ill reuse some stuff.

I know I can fins a quality shortblock somewhere for under 2 grand. There's gotta be somethinf out there. Thats why I started this thread to see if there were other quality short blocks out there. Or is there a way to test mine now while its still my dd. I just bought the car it has 158k miles of unkown history lol. It was taken care of at one point but not recently I'm taking carw of a lot of problems now. Car runs good but engine feels very tired. And has an oil leak that looks like its coming from the crank? Not really sure.

There's even the ford racing 306 340 hp crate engine for about 4 grand. How is that engine?