Okay guys would really appreciate your expertise here. So as you can see in some of the pics I've recently posted I'm just finishing up a rebuild of my 1964 Dynamic 88. I can't deny that as excited I am about this rebuild I was a bit put off by the fact that Oldsmobile detuned my 88 originally at the factory by lowering the compression ratio (CR) and thereby bringing its horse power down to the mid 200's. I understand this was done to allow it to use Regular gas. Since cheap regular gas is no longer an option, the lower compression seems like a total waste of efficency making the engine much weaker than a 394 should be. Has anyone brought a low compression engine up to the higher compresison of the starfires? If so, how did you do it? I have a 4-barrel Rochester on the car now and dual exhaust so would like to get the CR up.

Maybe the answer in the end is that I should just enjoy the car as it was intended but extra horses are always nice.

Thanks for your thoughts,
Chipowpow

 

Even on the cheap Dynamic 88s you could of had a 394 with 260 280 or 330 horsepower engine. But option 1 - Use higher compression pistons which are readily available. Option 2 - shave a little off the deck of the block and/or heads. Option 3 - a milder cam which is also available new

 

Just found this tread.Don't get down on the low compression. My 64 88 (now with dual exhaust) gets going real quick. It won't lay three inch thick rubber from a stop but it does haul ***!!! With plans for a new fuel pump, a rebuilt carb and correct timming this winter
the big boat will do just fine. The car sounds great and does turn heads.
The pictures look great. I was very glad to see the engine.

 

As you can see, unless you have the Green LO-Comp 394 260HP 8.75, the 280HP & 330HP were Hi-Comp 10.25 The only Engine higher with 10.50 was the Starfire 345HP

260 H.P. V8-394 2 Barrel 4.125 x 3.688 394 8.75 260 @ 4400 410 @ 2400 35-45 AC 45 .030 .019 30 18736542 2 1/2° -12
280 H.P. V8-394 2 Barrel 4.125 x 3.688 394 10.25 280 @ 4400 430 @ 2400 35-45 AC 44 .030 .019 30 18736542 5° -12
330 H.P. V8-394 4 Barrel 4.125 x 3.688 394 10.25 330 @ 4600 440 @ 2800 35-45 AC 44 .030 .019 30 18736542 5° -12
345 H.P. V8-394 4 Barrel 4.125 x 3.688 394 10.5 345 @ 3800 440 @ 3200 35-45 AC 44 .030 .019 30 18736542 5° -12