Exhaust manifold gaskets

Are you running manifolds or headers? The manifold on the driver's side hits the head where the exit port is on my Eddy heads, hence the need for the gasket. I have to use a header flange to space the manifold away from the head enough to get a seal on the manifold when torqued down. Do you possibly have a better approach to this issue? Edelbrock couldn't give me any ideas.
I just use copper seal on the flange surfaces, but I haven't done it with aluminum heads. I also had the header flanges surface ground to ensure that they were true.
Member @Jim Kueneman did exactly this with his '66 Valiant- maybe he could chime in with what he did for gaskets between the manifold/header flange spacer/Eddy heads.