Pushrod Length for Shaved Heads

If you want to raise the compression in a 70's 440 that most likely has the piston .156" below the deck milling the heads .060" is not worth the effort. You need to deck the block if you really want to make some real compression gains. I have done several write-ups in detail about doing this on the forum in the past. I've decked a lot of blocks .100" without issues.

Also you do not have to mill the intake face on the head or the intake manifold surface. When you deck the heads or the block it causes the intake to sit higher up on the heads (a good thing) since the top of the intake ports on the heads are curved at the opening. By raising the intake up on the head it allows you to high port the top port and straighten out the roof. The only thing that has to be done depending on how much mill the block deck or deck the heads is sometimes you have to elongate the intake manifold bolt holes just a touch.

Tom