Triumph Repair: Blown head gasket, blown head gasket, head gasket failure

Question
I have a 1976 Triumph Spitfire (85 AM Miles). 3 years ago I had the engine rebuilt by a Triumph trained mechanic. The head gasket has now blown 3 times. Since the initial rebuild I have replaced both the radiator(It could not be bored out) and the water pump; which failed after the 2nd head gasket failure and had the carburetor totally overhauled (Jets,etc). Each time after the engine was repaired, the valves were readjusted after 250 to 350 miles. After the 2nd failure, the block was resurfaced This last time (3rd failure), I was able to run a few checks when things started to go South. I noted that the engine was none responsive when I went through each gear. When I stopped the car (Engine on), there were gray fumes exiting from the tail pipe. I determined that the top of the radiator was cold,the bottom hot and the antifreeze solution had gone into the overflow container. When the engine was cool, the lower radiator hose was removed no fluid exited.
Some more information
1. How long did the last gasket last
  Approximately 300 miles
2) Has the head been machined and checked for cracks
  The block was machined (approx 0.005 ") and checked for cracks
  after the 2nd failure.
  The head was determined to be okay.

3) What was the timing set at?
  Timing was set at 5 D before TDC in order to get better
  performance

4) Did you have water in the oil?
  No water in the oil but after the head gasket went, there
  was some H20 in the exhaust gas stream (Gray color)

5) Can you see what the spark plugs electrode look like?
  Condition is fine (Plugs have about 500 miles on them

6) What was the previous gasket made of.
  Brand is Taynes or something close to that spelling.
  It is basically a card board like material with protruding
  bands (1 per cylinder) which fit down into a small recess in
  the cylinder

7) Have you had thermostat changes?
  Do not know

8) Did the temp gauge show engine over heating?  
  Yes - when I got into the driveway, I idled the engine. Much
  gray smoke came out of the exhaust and then the temperature   
  went from 160 to 230 in less then a minute
Note:
The gasket always fails at the same position. Looking from the front of the car engine to the back, it has alwayed failed between the 1st and 2nd cylinder.


Besides burying the car, what else can be done?  

Answer
Hi Jim,
All of your symptoms are after the fact (head gasket already blown) I did not see you state what the head was torqued to (46 ft lbs) and if a retorque was done. And done stone cold. These are very important things to be done. You should not have had a head gasket blown that early. Be sure they mike the thickness of the ring around the cylinder bore and mike the dept of the fly cut grove in the block at each cylinder to see that there is a interference fit so as to get a good seal on the gasket ring, and that the head gasket was not installed up side down. The order that the head bolts must be torqued in too. (Center first and working toward each end) Recheck the flatness of the head and block. (good machine shops make mistakes too. There is no good reason for a head gasket to blow in 300 miles unless it was not done correctly.
Howard