Fresh engine, wiped cam? Tick? (new pics added)

The way that you're measuring that 1.85" figure includes the spring retainer, just FYI. It likely means that your installed height is actually close to the 1.75" specified for those springs. Provided, as pointed out, your measuring to the actual spring seat. And it still means that the tops of those valves are higher than the stock height was, which means a different length pushrod should have been used just based on that measurement alone.