Welcome to CHR Clayton:

I’ve read this thread and also your PM to me and I think you may have pretty good base but I have a couple questions and comments.
1. Do you know if you had the block squared? If so, do you know the finished deck height (it will be a 9.xx number).
2. You said that you had the heads milled. Why? Were they not square or were you looking to increase c/r?
3. What head gasket have you been using (how thick?)
4. You indicated that you had 10:1 c/r – how was that determined?
5. Is this an automatic or manual transmission?
6. Do you know the rear end ratio?

Couple suggestions:
1. Do not port these heads – you will not improve them and in all likelihood hurt performance. These are some of the best flowing factory heads ever made by GM.
2. You probably have too much lift, but need to know more about the cam to know if you’re “over cammed”. I would recommend something like this one - Summit Racing Street & Strip® Cam Kits SUM-K00042, 210/210 @050 and .440/.440 lift.
3. Edelbrock Performer is okay, Performer RPM manifold is better. The 1406 is also fine (IMO) but if you change to a Performer RPM, I’d go to a spread bore and use a Q-jet, but I like Q-jets and that big rush when the secondaries open.

As mentioned by others, your bent push rods may be valve float.

Regards,
Glenn