Picking your brains if I may

I'm in the research phase of wanting to build a new motor for my car. It's a 1994 86c 2F "steilheck". I think most of you folks refer to them as "bread vans" and some maybe station wagons. I have a few ideas but I am hoping one or two people here have done something like this or tried and knows what works and what doesn't.

Current motor is an NZ code with 3F pistons installed. The cylinder head ports and bowls have been worked a little, short side radius, casting flaws removed, port matched and such. It has a Cat Cams camshaft installed which works well up to about 6300RPM and I like to drive with the engine between 3000RPM and 5500RPM with bursts higher once in a while. For this I use an AHD transmission and short shifter. The engine is run with DigiJet injection that has been chipped and the fuel pressure upped a little. Ignition is the transistorized GK engine ignition system.

So, background out of the way here are my thoughts for a new engine:

~ Wanted to use the AEX code 1.4L but the intake does not match and I see no way to mate them without a large adapter. Thought maybe the block from AEX and my cylinder head but the pistons have no reliefs cut into them. Any thoughts on this combo?

~ Looked into the ABD motor which seems to be the best way right now, but I do not like the bore/stroke ratio (AEX is much more to my liking). Also the static compression is a bit low for what I want to do and I see no great way to bring it up almost 1 point. Again, thoughts?

~ Last is the possibility of a "Frankenstein" motor with mixing or matching parts which will work. My goal is to stay around 1.4L, personal reasons, and be able to keep my current management systems.

Sorry for writing a book but I would like to hear "functional" ideas and if anyone has built something in this area then their input will be even better. One last bit or request, please don't suggest using any form of boost, I an not a boost kind of guy.