Triumph Repair: Cylinder head removal for maintenance 71 spitfire, head gasket, erge

Question
Dear Howard,
   How are you? It's been a while. I am attempting to remove my cylinder head from my '71 spitfire to check the pistons and the valves. But i am at a loss. I cannot for the best of me remove the darn cylinder head. I have removed the the whole fan setup. the rockar assembly all the nuts i can find. is there a certain way to remove it that i am just missing? If you could help it would be very helpfull. If you need any info just ask.
                                           Alex

Answer
Hi Alex,
It is common for a head to be stuck even though the head nuts have been removed. Don't give in to the erge to drive any kind of wedge in between the head and the block. Even though they are cast iron you can still damage the edge of both surfaces.
What many mechanics do is to double nut each stud and remove all of the studs first. This makes it easier to get the head broke loose. If you are not familiar with double nutting a stud, it is as it sounds, You install one nut with no washer till it is just snug and run a second nut down on the first nut and turn the first nut back against the second nut very tight, then using the first nut try to loosen the stud. It works most of the time.
Then with a engine hoist or what ever you have, apply lifting pressure to one end of the head only. (I usually use the very front of the head) and if it don't come loose just leave that lifting pressure on over night.
Even though you don't normally apply any kind of sealer on a head gasket when installing one, there is a sealer already applied by most head gasket manufactures which is activated by heat when the engine is run.
Good luck, let me know.
Howard