I always recommend new studs and nuts. So does my SO.
After 25 years or so, the studs relax and stretch and it is difficult to
maintain even torque. If, when you are tightening down the head bolts,
as you are watching the needle climb on the torque wrench, if you feel
(or hear) sort of a 'prong' as the nut starts to cinch up, you clearly
are streching the old head studs.
I don't necessarily recommend Mini Mainia or ARP for stock motors. But I
would recommend new stock head studs and nuts. That goes for the
manifold studs and the three studs at the bottom of the exhaust
manifold, too.
And use them cool, shiny, brass nuts on the manifolds like you're
supposed to. They don't seize like normal steels nuts and should never
be able twist off a manifold stud. (Been there, done that, and it sucked
big time!)
Yep, I had the cool copper head gasket on my Midget, too. It never,
ever, blew a head gasket. But, ah, the stock one didn't either.
If you're like me, paying that much money for just a bag of nuts and
bolts seems like a pretty "big nut" after paying for the head work but I
think it is money well spent.
Bob Allen, Kansas City, '69MGC/GT Porsche Beater, '75TR6 Chick Getter
BTW: IMHO AFAIK on LBCs is meaningless as far as I know. Oh. I get it.
Matt Liggett wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> I'm about to put the [newly reconditioned] cylinder head back on my
> 1970 Midget (1275). The head is not oversize or "built" in any way.
> Pure stock dimensions, AFAIK. This is not a performance motor [yet].
>
> I'm seeking reccomendations on head gaskets and studs. Since this is
> not a high-output motor, is there any advantage to the neat studs that
> MiniMania and others sell that come with those hip 12-point nuts?
> What about copper head gaskets?
>
> Again, this is a stock motor. Stock carbs, stock exhaust, cams, etc.
> --
> Matt Liggett <mliggett@pobox.com>
> <URL:http://pobox.com/~mliggett/> Bloomington, IN, USA
--
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