I used a .051 Cometic with the piston +.002" out of the bore at TDC on my 511 with 4.375 bore. This gives me .049" quench inline with the pin and .037" on either side when I rock the piston either way. Hope this helps.

How about the FelPro 8519SP block saver spacer? Does it have big enough holes for the pistons? $17 each on RA.

R.

I ran .074 Cometic gaskets on my old 440 and the block and heads were just machined by the standard way. And they worked fine as they never leaked and the eng is still running fine in a friends car. I built the eng and had it running in my car in 2006. Ron

Just order the proper thickness gasket and you’re done. It’s notning to worry about. It’s easier to achieve quench with them out of the hole vs in the hole.

Wondering if I can stack three stock-style .019 steel gaskets ??

Are you feeling lucky?
I wouldn't do that

I was just a thought.

So what would cause contact with the head anyway? I have .035 quench. Let's say for the hell of it the piston rocks .010. Where's the other .025 go in order for the piston to contact the head ??

My old pump gas stroker motor was at zero deck height with dished pistons using having .035 piston the head clearances that would touch the heads with the edges of the pistons on both sides of those pistons
They didn't touch with .042 clearances
Back then I wasn't rocking the pistons to check the pistons edge deck heights I do now