Quote Originally Posted by chevydrivin
So I want to build a small journal 327, its got stock steel crank, stock rods with flat tops. Not sure on the pistons in it, they have a big gap just under the oil ring about the size of the oil ring. So the skirt is not attached to the ring section of the piston except on each side by the rod pin bushing. If it does not need boring will these piston work ok and whats the max Compression I could get with these flat tops with small cc heads (?). Or should I bore it and put new pistons to get to a higher compression ratio. Would like to get 400 nto 450 HP out of it but want to be sure its going to hold up to that. Anybody have any recipes for building this motor?

Pistons? Cam? solid or hyd? Heads? Rods????????????????????????????
If you have not started on the project yet I would consider building a 383 instead.
First it will make more torque so you don't need a steep gear or a really loose stall.
You could build a mild 383 with flat top pistons, good heads and a cam not much larger than a rv cam say 230 at .050 and make 400 hp on pump gas.