Help needed on buying a 351W shortblock.

[eddielugnutz]

I also forgot to ask about the compression, I hear that all these truck, non Lightening 351 motors have 8.5:1 in stock form? I was planning on using Trick Flow twisted wedge heads, E303 cam with 1.7 rockers, Trick flow intake, 24lb injectors, 75 mm Tb 77MM Maf, long tube headers, a ECM tune and all the other necessaries, high flo pump and afpr, But if the motor has cast 8.5:1 pistons, will this severly hurt my goal of 350RWHP? Sounds like I'd be just putting a lot of good parts on a crappy lower end, what pistons do you guys think will work well with the above mentioned list of parts, I'm not greedy, I'm setting a goal of 350RWHP, if I make a little less that's fine, but do you think this motor will be capable if it only has 8.5:1? Even if the heads have 61cc combustion chambers, and stock head has 65, that will only bring up compression a .1 or so am I right?

Maybe I'd be better off with the less compression if I can still make decent power around my intended goal (350RWHP) I mean, if the motor makes less compression then it requires less fuel octane demands, less detonation and runs cooler right? so maybe I can at least make 300-350RWHP and have a more reliable engine? Feel free to make fun of me if this is not making any sense! I'm a newbie, I have stupid ideas sometimes. Even if I only make 300RWHP, I can still potentially see 12's with all my suspension and weight mods right? (I am working on a 3100lb track weight) I'm not greedy.

I know, I know, I should dump the money and get better pistons.