Help on 408 build

I just read through this thread
lots of good suggestions from many different directions
On the gasket
They also make a shim to lower compression which might be cheaper than cometics if we are real tight on cash
Cam- duration is based on usage and where you want the rpm band and on converter and gears
do not but in big cam just to lower DCR if it puts you in a different torque curve than you want
Whoever said OEM LA heads are good chambers must be smoking funny stuff
They only work good on high rpm race builds
or builds where the rules say you have to use them
The later heart shaped chambers are much better chamber wise but not the answer here
Whoever said to scribe the gaskets and open the chambers- that always helps but even with thicker gaskets you may not get the compression down enough to make pump gas work- ask the DCR guys after you do the calcs
should be easy to get 5cc out of the heads DIY\
I haven't looked on SBM but there should be some -28cc pistons out there which looks like the answer
and quench closed chamber heads when the budget allows
aluminum and quench both help on the detonation
which may be why you have no power
do fix it before you break or torch something expensive
inspect your ring lands and rings
if not hammered and they are ductile moly tops you can reuse them- keep them in the same holes and fresh fine bottle brush if the bores were torque plate honed in the first place and still look good