I just got my head gaskets for my 350 rebuild. They are odd in the sense that the gaskets are huge and extend into the lifter valley area with holes actually punched in them for the pushrods. They are straight out of the GM performace catalog with PN#12557236, .051 crushed, used on Corvettes. I am just guessing that they are this way to shield the intake runners from hot oil being splashed up? I have asked a bunch of local yokels and they just scratch their heads and say, ummm i guess so... Anyways, just curious as to why they are so big..

 

Sounds like the wrong gaskets. I just put the same GM part number head gaskets .051's on my 383. They did not have holes for the pushrods.
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Any GM Tech out there that might be able to tell me why the hell this gasket is like this? I am reading the number off the bag and the gasket inside has never been removed. 12557236... The Top side of the gasket has a straight edge extending about an inch and a half from the bores. If it is the wrong part inside a bag with the right part#, they did it with 2 of them!