Can you get the heads on and off without pulling the studs? Looks like the head might hit the heater box before clearing the studs?
Getting ready to start on a supercharger install which will include freshening the head gaskets and valve springs. Need to decide on new bolts or studs.
I put studs in an old Ford diesel truck I had once and it was a royal PITA putting the passengers side head on with the studs rubber banded in place because they were long enough that the head couldn't be installed over them. And they went into blind holes in the block. With the SBC got to manage sealer on the threads as well......
Thanks!

 

i did all this a few years ago on my supercharged heads/cam (but stock bottom end) 1993 lt1.

i had some used studs i experimented with, and determined it was gonna be too much of a PITA to get heads on with them sticking out of the block. So I went with new bolts.

i also did the oem gaskets (vs cometic or anything that might be less than forgiving to any imperfections in the deck - as i scotch brite’d the deck (since block was still in place) vs. machine it . Oh and bobtheoilguy’s insistence on never using scotch brite bc of its abrasive aluminum oxide particles that can fall into your bore. Thats BS. I had the bores sealed off with ‘disks’ so no slop could fall into the bores. His advice is on that is for the sloppy mechanic.


lastly, i bought thread chasers and chased/ used brake parts cleaner on all head bolt holes into the block’s water jacket. I used some kind of flexible loc tite thread sealant (567? - i need to double check) on all the threads of the head bolts .

finally dont forget to pull the knock sensors to drain out all the nasty brake parts cleaner you got into your block bc it will eat the radiator hoses from the inside out. It can cause an accident if one fails and gets fluid all over your tires contact patch.

good luck