Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines 261 Chevy headgasket

The headgaskets for 261 are listed as having a .060 compressed thickness. 6 years ago when I assembled my 261, I used a Detroit Gasket with a compressed thickness of .038.Well, i just pulled the head for some routine stuff and now all the gaskets seem to be .060. This may all sound like splitting hairs, but when I built the engine, the head to piston clearance and the important squish area was based on .038. Do any of you know about these head gaskets? The only listing I have for Detroit is a .060 thickness like the gaskets available from Victor etc.

Tony, I thought I would respond here even though I usally get clobbered. I've had the same problems with V motors I've built for customers several years back, brought back recently for fresh-ups. Seems as thought the gasket manufactures now only offer the "One"or"no re-torque" head gaskets which apparently do not compress as much or they a simply constructed of a thicker material.I am sure special head gaskets can be purchased but I just have the heads milled the diffrence(probably about the same cost as special gaskets). It accomplishes 2 things in the fact that I know the motor is going back together with a true flat surface on the heads and if the customer has to make a emergency repair, he can get a new gasket with out a big problem. Yes it is spliting hairs but it's worth it when your looking the most performance for your dollar--Paul

This is my post, no clobbering allowed,lol.
So I actually measured the one piece of the old head gasket that didn't tear to shreds when removed,hmm, about .055. So the gasket is no longer an issue, the special gasket wasn't so special.
The flat top pistons at TDC sit .010 below the deck,the head gasket is .055 compressed, close enough.
By the way,the 848 head was milled .015,the block milled .030 when I built it.