Triumph Repair: head gasket, head gasket, torque wrench

Question
QUESTION: Hello,  I have a 1978 1500 with a 1975 motor. was wondering if you could give me some information on the block? Where the gasket sits on the block there's a lip that covers the circumerence of the bore, but yet the two outter cylinders have like a space between where they meet the inner cylinders,It's kinda hard to explain without looking at it, the block itself is not a flat surface. Between the 1st & 2nd cylinders there's a gap, between the 2nd & 3rd there's no gap, & between the 3rd & 4th cylinder there's a gap. And between the 1st & 2nd and the 3rd & 4th is where the gasket blew. Sorry I can't explain it better.

ANSWER: Hi Greg,
Yes the block is "flycut" but the gasket is much thicker around the rim so as to fit into this "flycut" recess. If your gasket is flat, you have the wrong gasket and possibly that is what made the gasket blow or someone didn't torque the head correctly.
Before you put the new gasket on be sure to clean the head and block and check the head for flatness and be sure the new gasket has the extra thick rims to fit the "flycut" block. Be sure to torque the head and run it about 500 mi and retorque. Be sure the retorque is done stone cold and readjust valves.
Howard

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QUESTION: Thank You Howard for answering my question. Do you think Victoria British would know when i'm ordering the gasket?, That's who I orderd the last gasket set from. it didn't have an extra thick rim on it.Thats the one the cataloge called for that motor, It looks like some gaskets are copper & some are asbestos, or whatever material that is, would I be better off to put a copper on opposed the the other? also when I'm using a torque wrench with a extention is the torque gonna be as accurate as without one?  Thanks for your responds

Answer
Tell who ever you order the gasket from that you don't know the origin of the block but it is the flycut block (with a ridge cut in the top of each cylinder) They will know which gasket to send you.
As far as torque with a drive extension to the socket the torque is the same no mater how long the extension is.
Howard