OK I have a decent factory timing cover from a low mileage 360, one of the only ones I ever took apart that the gear to cover clearance was not out the window. In fact this cover is so mint there are not scars on the cover at all. Any how I am going to run the spare set of Bull tear gears with a mid plate.

QUESTION:

Should I have the cover machined until the gears are .007 taller than the cover then use a .009 gasket? This would give me the .002 desired end clearance from the gears to the midplate.

A quick check of the cover with the new gears installed shows that they are currently BELOW the surface of the cover.