Brainstormin' 440 vs 5.9 ...

You don't need mid/high CR to make power, airflow makes power cr just squeezes more out of it sure 10.5 or even 13.5+ would be better but no reason you can't make 400-450+ hp with reasonable mods.
You can make over 500 hp + with 9.5 cr pushing the cam a bit with decent head work, but that’s two points over the rv 440 and that you need to work for or buy pistons which is what I recommend. You can drop 200 grams per piston over stock pistons +compression.