head gasket Q?

[Don R]

 Is there a source for proper head gaskets for an early head? If I were to contact cometic about making some I'd assume I need the thickness and composition information. Not having one for comparison I wonder how close the rest of the gasket is besides the center bolt?

[kp]

Other than the extra hole at the front the other bolt holes are smaller in diameter. The newer gaskets also have a sticky area between cylinders 2 and 3 to help with sealing which was a good feature.The early production gaskets didn't have this. I'm sure you would get a lot of interest if these were remanufactured

[Steve Swan]

the sticky head gaskets make head removal a horror.  the issue of preventing oil leaks is as much in the thickness of the head gasket
 as it is in the thickness of the O-rings fitted.  i've started using Vesrah head gaskets and a slightly thicker O-ring and had no oil leaks running the engine on the test stand and during operation in the frame.  i don't have the thicker O-ring measurements as i write this, i do have the measurements at my shop.