8.8 is plenty strong. Properly set up it can take a car into the 7's.

3rd and 4th gen Fbody guys are using 8.8's instead of 9 inch or 12 bolts.
GM guys like them because the cars typically dyno 20 - 30HP more with an 8.8 vs a 9 inch. That and the simplicity of gear changes.

Hurst