I'm a fan of the 383, but there's little reason to not do the 440. Cubes will win this competition. Personally I would run the 383. Have the heads shaved. 440 source says approximately 80 cc but I would have them measured and trimmed for maybe 76cs's or less. Run the .021 factory style head gasket. Pay attention to the head finish for a coated steel shim gasket. You may have to trim the sides of the intake to get it to match if you take a lot off the heads.

Assuming moving from an .039" to an .021" gasket and cutting the head to 76cc from 80cc on a .030" over 440 gets you .7 increase in compression. If the pistons are .08" in the hole and flat top you move from 9.38:1 to 10.08:1


The change of compression, with these mods, in the 383 would be lesser.