I thought stock compression is 8.2 : 1

I have a dual sidepipe exhaust with cherry bombs. The two pipes are not connected. Should they be connected?

It's good to hear that I am on the right way.
I don't want to go on a 1/4 mile but I want to get that 4000 pound ship moving. I'd like to have a really heavy car accelerating pretty fast. High speed is not the priority.
Would a 3.5:1 be a good compromise?
When I get a wilder cam I should use other heads right?

Would getting new heads be a super bad idea? I mean I would like to save money, but I also want to get a bit more power. But the engine runs really nice and I don't want to rip it apart completely