And while we are on the subject, NEITHER method reveals the actual dynamic clearance at 8500rpm (or
boy o boy have I learned that the hard way---I am running a 4.25 crank with 6.535 rods in a 9.8 block---we chose the short deck when I was the eng. partner in Skip H's car. We kept hurting pistons & rod brgs from what I was told was detonation at the time. Marvin the eng builder has gone up 10 thou on gasket thickness to compensate for piston rock and thermal expansion. Hopefully this will put an end to our longevity problems.
Ah, to be building a big block - just add .010. If I were to do that, I'd lose about a point of CR.
Sparky, I was thinking about trying to pull and reinstall the cam without dropping the pan, which would require I use magnets on the end of some tubes and lash 'em up, then pull the offended tappet through the cam bearing hole with a magnetic probe. There's no tappet chest. The only other way would be pull the whole engine and come in from the bottom - a PITA, for sure.
But I hadn't thought about the potential effect on the bearings. I should probably also check the # 1 con rod for straightness after this near miss. They're pretty stiff, and probably okay, but I don't know that for sure, and I'm not going to risk it.