440 rebuild ali heads? how far

Three comments -
On the rods - IMO, poor choice for any engine that needs to have some steady rpm potential. Stick with LY rods or get a set of aftermarket H beams.
On the heads - Like IQ said - The RPMs were DESIGNED for that type of engine and weight is a huge deal with road racing. If you can't notice a difference with 60lbs at 2' off the ground off the nose you shouldn't be driving that type of car....lol.
On the headers - They are less of a big power robber but they should be considered when chosing the camshaft because they won't add a lot of power on their own.