You know, I started my reply but didn't post until hours later. In the meantime you go and steal the punchline from the story.
I know the 302 I built didn't have enough weight at the crank. I used a 5.7 flat top piston with a taller compression height so I could try to get decent compression out of the L31 heads. My machinist friend and I worked on lightening the pistons so I didn't have to spring for Mallory metal. Good thing, too because the build really does rely on RPM to keep the truck and trailer moving when climbing hills.
It's been many years since I collected specs but I believe the L99 heads were 58cc chambers. I sold a set on Ebay and as part of the ad copy I'd calculated the comression ratio of an LT1 with the L99 heads at something like 11:1. They sold to a guy in Alabama who was planning to build a Caprice with a 25mpg goal out of a 5.7. I'd think a stroker L99 would be a better route for reasonable power and good economy using reverse flow block and heads.
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