I'm getting my stock heads rebuilt, valve job and valve guides. This head is a stock 73 charger head. As far as I understand the compression on these things suck, 8.2:1
http://www.automobile-catalog.com/auta_details1.php

Would it be safe to mill a little off the heads to raise the compression and gain a bit of power on the cheap?

To get any kind of a noticeable result, you'd need to take quite a bit off. Which would mean custom length pushrods, and possible intake manifold fitment issues. It's not worth doing. Just live with what you have for now until you can go through it and change the pistons. The pistons in my 69 440HP were sitting .110" down in the hole at TDC. My 2355s are at .005". See what I mean?

Assuming your talking B/RB, and assuming the heads have never been cut, you can take up to .060 off the heads, depends on how much is getting/has been decked off the block, or just head work? example: standard block decking is .010, then you can take .050 off the head = total .060, IF your going to be using factory steel type head gaskets that are .020 compressed, you need to know what head gasket your using as far as compressed/installed height, but the above mentioned .060 cut, with a steel head gasket should put you in the 9.5 range, your cam choice will be important, with a .060 cut I wouldn't go over .490 lift, cam duration will have an effect as well, long duration cams will kill your compression with valve overlap, if your going with a factory style lift/duration you should be fine, you still want to check piston to valve clearance regardless during the build, if your running stock valve train components, there's enough slop in the factory stuff to allow for a .060 compression cut, same for the manifold install as long as your using the factory style "turkey" 1 pc metal gasket, if your using aftermarket manifolds/gaskets along with the valley cover you may have to have the manifold milled for port/bolt alignment

Mike

Yes I have em cut 60 thou. ideally you'd want to mockup the heads back on the block & see how much if any the intake faces of the heads need to be milled to get bolt hole alignment in the ballpark (your port alignment is what you are really after) & that means another trip to & from the machinist or you can have the intake milled which is another trip also which might make the intake only fit your eng with the milling but if it'll be together for years then no big deal. there may be a preload (pushrod length) issue to be dealt with, maybe not, you'll see when you mockup. I milled some 906's 60 thou and advanced the 509 cam 4 deg & it woke it up. agreed SCR is the issue but if the short block is in the car & you dont want to pull it & go thru it (I totally understand that) then yes go to town on the heads & dial in the cam then dial in the ign curve

Milling heads 0.060 will certainly require the intake faces to be milled. Check prices before you do this, it won't be cheap unless you live in a parallel universe. Two heads and two intake faces equal 4 setups and 60 is a lot to take off, will require several passes. I was quoted $200 years ago for flattening out the heads, meaning not milling that much. Anyone got current prices for the work?

R

Agreed there's a machinist formula for milling X amount off the intake side mating surface for every .010 removed from the head any competent machine shop is going to perform this operation unless you decline it, some shops charge per "pass", a pass being .010, most shops doing a complete R&R on a set of heads (valve job/etc) price the time/labor to perform the task, rather than tooling degradation cost for just a head cut...prices are going to vary depending on your location and the type of machine shop

.010 off the head gasket surface = .0123 off the intake manifold surface.

This is according to direct connection BB engine book. In case an argument starts.

That is the correct amount .

Sounds like the cost is going to go up fast. Would it make more sense to just get a pair of theese
http://store.440source.com/Stealth-Aluminum-Cylinder-Head-COMPLETE-SINGLE-HEAD/productinfo/200-1055/

1000$ for two, and have the guy check the valves on them.

I would look into sidewinder heads , do a search using the google search box at the top of the page , they were/are cheaper than the head you link and better performing out of the box.

moparts sponsor Marsh Performance .

http://www.mopartsracing.com/parts/Sidewinder.html

On my 383, I had 906 heads milled 0.060" (plus the intake side milled os the manifold would fit), and it makes fitting the valley tray a bit difficult, plus need shorter pushrods.
The aftermarket heads are a good value upgrade. More compression, better flow, better combustion chamber design, hardened valve seats, larger valves, usually stainless valves with single grove locks.
The one extra expense of these aftermarket heads is usually the need to use a head bolt kit.

Compression ratio is even lower in real life than the factory advertised 8.2. More like 7.8 to 8.0. I wouldn't waste time on the stock heads at this point. I bought the 440 source heads many years ago, but the chambers aren't small enough to raise compression up all that much. They'll bring you to around 8.5 unless you have them milled as well. I'm not up to speed on the trick flow, sidewinder, pro comp offerings these days, but IIRC at least one of them offers a smaller chamber. FWIW, your stock chamber is like 90cc, a 440 source around 85. You would need to find something with like a 70 or 75cc chamber to really help boost CR.

Are those steel heads? Wouldn't they weigh considerably more. You also have to buy springs.

Aluminum. yah you'll need springs/valves/retainers/keepers. IMO go with the source heads.

No they are alum. ... your stock heads are cast iron ... and depending on your cam choice you may need springs anyway ... which aren't that expensive .... Call Todd and talk to him about what you need, the springs aren't that expensive.

Edlebrock also has the E street head which has a 75cc chamber , that would bump the compression ... but you don't want to go higher than 9.5 with those stock piston deep in the hole ...

Thanks, good info.