Getting the most out of a low comp 440

Good news and bad news. I stumbled on a '97 2500 4x4 Cummins Dodge Ram for a steal Sunday...there goes the Sweptline budget, until I can sell some of my other junk.

Maybe just a bone stock cheap ring n bearings rebuild on the 440 for now, and try it that way, if for no other reason than so it's not sitting around in pieces until I get some $ to finish it...and the 318 in the truck is using almost as much oil as gas, haha!