We are talking about a Mid Range Displacement BBC here right; say 427 to 468 CI, which like to Rev. Take into consideration the type of Lifter used in respect to the heavy BBC Valve train components.
HFT Max Revs 6200 rpm
HR Max Revs 6200 rpm
SFT Max Revs 6800+ rpm
SR Max Revs 7000+ rpm
Of course the more the RPM the more Air Volume is required and the Motor’s Rotating Assembly has to be built in accordance where Strength is proportional to RPM .
After market Piston are Generally designed to be use with OEM Spec’d Engines and Castings; for instance, if you want say 9.5:1 Static compression in a 454 you would choose the Piston to match the Head such as: 113cc 820 Casting with 13.8cc Domed L2399 Piston, the 118cc 781 Casting with the L2465F 25.7 cc Domed Piston and say the 122cc 049 OEM Head Casting with the larger Domed 29.4 cc ZL2349F Piston – All achieve approx 9.5:1 Static. You can shuffle the components to achieve the desired Static; for instance, the 820 Heads with the L2465F should yield approx 10.5:1 Static Compression all the way up to 12.5:1 with say the 820 Heads and ZL2349F Piston … etc; in which case, go Rectangular Port and Racing Gas and your Ride is no longer a Car but a TOY. You will never convince me a 10 Second Ride is comfortable on the Street or for cursing.
Stands to reason the Higher the Static Compression, the Bigger the Cam, the Higher the Air Flow demand there is where the SFT and SR Forged Assembled will survive.
If you're not concerned about weight the Large Oval Port Cast OEM Casting is just fine with Hydraulic Lifters as the engine can’t go beyond 6200 rpm anyway. If you work the Large Oval Port by adding Bigger Valves, Bowl Porting and minor Runner Porting they will feed either a 427 or 454 to 7000 rpm in a SFT or SR Built Mill.
Considering the expense of to days machining to rebuild OEM Heads it may be wise to go After Market and purchase something like the Elelbrock 454-0 Alu-Heads with a 110cc Chamber for approx $1,100 which out flow the OEM Casting and mount them over either the L2399 or L2465F Piston (Pending Desired Static Compression) - Plus what you gain in say 30 Hp, you gain in Hp to Weight Ratio and Handling.
You can not compare the Mid Size Hi Revving 427 to 468 CI BBC Mills with the larger Displacement Torque Monsters like the 496 to 572 Plus Displacement Mills that are rarely built to exceed 6000 rpm and the HSR is suitable. I consider it Sac-Religious to use HSR lifters in a 427 or 454.
And at the Strip, you require Alu-Heads to compete with Fred and use a Vega Shell to beat him. I know he has a 10 runner but he's not disclosing it ;o)
