Checking Intake Manifold Fit After Resurfacing Heads

OK.... The piston top .020" above deck makes sense. Still can't see how a piston edge that is .020" above the block could hit the head with a .054" head gasket.....I am either missing something, or the head was sticking down through the head gasket...can't think how that is possible. New piston rocking would be maybe .005" or so, so that would not do it. Sounds like perhaps the larger intake valve is the culprit....based on the description of the contact location, that makes sense.

If this is the case, what material you take off of the heads will reduce that clearance as you said. Any chance that the checks were done with the lifters all pumped full of oil and the valves not closing and being held open too far? Or pushrods wrong (too long)? Or something amiss in the rockers? That cam is not that high a lift. (Or the Race Tec valve pockets are off of the proper locations.)

Did the heads have flat (nail head) valves in them originally? Tulips are gonna add 2 cc's or maybe a bit more. The 72-73 cc's sounds normal; but putting in the larger valves could easily take out some material around them.. I am with you on where you want to go for a stout street cruiser.