you got it freeking backwards
a race motor can avoid detonation because:
It's always running above peak torque
above BMEP
and it's always running good gas
now with tight quench
you are not as fuel sensitive
not as timing sensitive
not as compression sensitive
not as load sensitive
not having to shift down as much to keep from pinging
and 20 hp is huge
but the big gain is in low end and midrangewhere you can run more pressure wthot detonation
if you are going to run ft with the SMOG heads milled
run a thick gasket but they do not make one thick enough
run abig cam to blead off your torque
run low gears and a loose converter so you don''t load the engine
The more you lower your compression with ft the hotter it runs
you have to give it more gas to get the same power
the factory was chasing it's tail
go back to 67 not 73 and later
Use what they learned when the did the magnum - two quench pads
We did a LOT of dyno time developing that pston design with customm forged pstons- they work
I'd use ductile top rings either way
btw AJ can give you the details
