(Best) copper head gasket and offenhauser aluminum heads

[Kube]

Aussie Merc has given you great advice. Pistonbroke backed that up. Please, do yourself a favor and listen to these guys.

That small hole in the gasket was a design change that I believe happened right around 1946. Ford figured out that if the coolant was slowed down in that rear hole, the engine cooled better.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Kube

Aussie Merc has given you great advice. Pistonbroke backed that up. Please, do yourself a favor and listen to these guys.

That small hole in the gasket was a design change that I believe happened right around 1946. Ford figured out that if the coolant was slowed down in that rear hole, the engine cooled better.

After reading post #6, I went back to my Ford service book and did find the design change to the gasket I'd mentioned in post #5. I was happy to know that occasionally my memory doesn't fail me.
In fact, the hole at the REAR of the gasket was reduced in size in 1946 to provide better cooling.
I know nearly nothing about the later (49+) engines so can't speak to what those gaskets were.