If you c.c. your engine, will will find out that you don't have much stock. I think (tough to remember exactly) mine was around 7.4:1 or maybe 7.8:1. The gasket is fairly thick and accounts for a bit of volume, lots of room around the valves that you can't do anything about - it all adds up. Plus I "relieved" the area between the valves and the cylinder - wouldn't do that again as I don't think there was anything to be gained. Much rather have the extra compression than bragging rights to a "ported and relieved" engine.
The aluminum head will expand a bit more than the cast iron when hot, so I left the torque around 5lb/ft short.
Jim
