I believe the published compression height in most of the piston catalogs is measured from the wrist pin center to the piston top. The only time compression height becomes an issue is if you're changing stroke, and using the same rod length. For instance, both 302 and 327 cubic inch Chevy V-8's use a 4 inch bore, but the 327 has 1/4" more stroke. They both use rods 5.7" long. A 302 piston in a 327 would project 1/8" out of the top of the block unless the compression height of the piston was shortened by 125 thousandths. The two pistons look identical, until they're both slid onto the same wrist pin. Then the difference is obvious.
It's highly unlikely pistons for the same displacement engine will have different compression heights, unless the rod length is also changed. Pistons for a 350 with 6-inch rods will have a noticeably different (shorter) compression height than a piston designed to work with a 5.7" rod.
Jerry
Edit: According to some quick thumbnail calculations, the 283 pistons would stick out the top of a 230 block about .015" or so. That amound could be milled or shaved off without affecting the strength of the piston, I believe. The pistons probably wouldn't hit the cylinder head, even if they weren't shaved off, because of the thickness of the head gasket, but I'd be more comfortable having a little bit of deck clearance, at least getting the piston flush with the top of the block!
Jerry
