[Pete]

If the head was surfaced PROPERLY and the block was surfaced PROPERLY, and, if you use a copper head gasket that has been checked to see that it does NOT hang over the edge of the combustion chamber anywhere, and, you spray the gasket with ALUMINUM paint both sides and install within 5 minutes, and, you use studs with clean, no burr threads that have been lubed with an approved thread lube such as the ARP stuff or hypoid gear lube, and, torqued to 65 over enough running cycles so you can't improve any more, THEN, you won't have any problems.

For one season one of my engines, a FLATHEAD model B, ran at the vintage drags on 50% nitro. 12 to 1 compression. Never blew a head gasket.