[The_Bishop]

Definition of bolster.

Cheap is irrelevant if you don't get results. Milling the heads disrupts flow, compromises piston-to-valve clearances, creates intake manifold alignment issues, and weakens the deck surface so gasket retention becomes an issue.

What the car likes on n2o is going to be far, far different than what it likes NA. You have an instant hit of torque on n20, which will get the car moving, and why a tighter converter works with n2o. However, the combination of parts you have chosen will result in an engine that extremely lazy below 3500-4000 RPM, so that tight converter that works well in n2o will suck when you're NA, which will be roughly 99% of the time the car is running.

If you're spending money to replace pistons and rings, and re-hone the block, then why not just get a shortblock more suited to the task? Cheap is relative. What is cheap up front can cost as much if not more in the long run than a more expensive but better suited part.

Your car, do what you will with it. I predict you'll hate the car with the combo you have proposed. Also, is this going into your '98? If so, why ditch the FI? There's a very, very good reason that carburetors have been eliminated in nearly every modern engine.