Hey Machu10,

You should have no problem running pump gas with that compression ratio combo. You can stretch up to 11:1 with 92 octane. You may have to back off your timing a little, but with less than 10:1, you should be good.

Regarding the cam, you could contact one of the big cam mfg's and tell them what you want to do. They will ask a bunch of questions like RPM range, vehicle weight, tire size, etc... and they will be able to recommend the best lift/duration/lobe sep for your needs. Or, if you have a program like the desktop dyno, you could profile your engine and plug in the two specs to see which gives you what you're looking for (i.e.: Torque or HP at a particular RPM range).

A few points about the 383...maybe you already know this so ignore if I'm redundant:

1.) In a 383, you bring the stroke closer to other moving parts. Remember to clearance your rod ends and bolts to make sure they don't hit anything...like your cam!

2.) You may want to consider a reduced base circle cam to give additional clearance. If so, this will change your pushrod length and require to you to properly size them.

3.) Regarding the cam...the "general rule" about lift is stay below .500 for a street vehicle. Most factory springs can handle this lift. When you get taller, you run into things like coil bind, not enough pressure, etc... Regarding duration, that's what you really have to watch when it comes to clearances. Depending on what piston to valve clearance you have, longer durations run the risk of hitting the piston. If you don't flycut the pistons, you will need to watch that valve opening/closing to piston clearance very closely. Remember to mock up your cam install to check these clearances.

Good luck!

tj