my name is Austin, and this is my first real post on here. I hope it doesn't make you guys think I am nuts or have a screw loose. Any ways I have a couple of questions that you guys can help with. I have acquired for a song 2 283 motors, a 327 small journal motor and a 307 from craigslist. These things go super cheap here in Louisville and I know why. It's because everybody wants big cubes to get the power way down low in the rpm range. Anyways, I have been reading about how all the people on here are very much against using these motors in a full size car, and I dont mean in drag racing, but even just a daily driver. I don't mind that I wont win any land speed records thats not what Im looking to do. I just want to get better fuel economy, I cant afford the gas. So here are my questions: #1 If I get 6 inch rods and mate them to stock 350 chevy pistons in that 327 block and hook them to the 283 crank, would that work? #2 Compression height calculator shows about .040 higher in the bore with them, but dropping from a 3.48 stroke of a 350 to a 3 inch stroke is gonna lose alot of compression so is +040 closer to the heads too much? #3 In my mind, rod ratio increases dwell time at tdc so I can run less ignition advance and still burn all the fuel and the same with compression ratio up to a point correct? I would like 11:1 static compression, I think if I watch how much ignition timing I am running it will get better gas mileage especially since I have a huge radiator to keep the heads cool. #4 If nobody thinks a 3 inch stroke is good enough to be in a heavy car then why did gm put them in the 1957 chevy and lots of other heavy vehicles like trucks studebakers and checker taxi cabs until 1968? #5 According to wiki the 327 was the most powerful small block combo ever made until the LS6 in 2001. Even the paltry 307 managed 200 hp (149 kW) SAE gross at 4600 rpm and 300 lb�ft (407 N�m) of torque at 2400 rpm. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_small-block_engine The question is, with the short deck height of the small block, is any more stroke than 3.25" really helping peak power at all, and is more stroke actually hurting fuel economy do to rod ratio? The main question is will 350 pistons work in my 327 with 6 inch rods and 283 crank. Thank you for reading, Austin