In reply to Mike about push rod adjustment and the spacers--------take this one from me as a gift---its more likely that with the springs you will have more oppurtunities to replace pushrods or lifters out of the hole than if you have the spacer tubes. If you use the same head on the same side of the block you can use the gasket over.

In regards to the pic of the intake manifold and the adapter plates-are the 2 carbs far enough apart for dual Hollys????????Might be a choice for me in addition to the 8>71