Why is it so hard to get good advice !!???

Frankenduster said
The pistons are flat tops, sitting .017 in the hole with a .039 head gasket. This puts me at the edge of quench with the .056 number.

I`d try a .020 head gasket, put you about .036 , would be about optimum ( and minumim) for steel rods. it would help a lot! I`ve got .038 :coffee2:- .039 on my 505 w/ 7.1 steel rods. just my 2 cents-----bob