It seems the answers to this problem are headed off in the wrong direction.
As you will note in my first post "the bolts SEEMED to be bottoming out" or that is what I thought at first. Then I realized it was the manifold bottoming out on the block and preventing any further movement and the bolts were getting tight because of that - I could see the gap between the manifold. They are the same bolts that held the manifold on for 64 years.
As far as brazing spacers on, please realize that I have been brazing, welding and silver soldering as part of my profession for about 44 years now. If I were to consider myself as an expert at anything, it would be silver soldering. As far getting the solder or braze to flow between the two surfaces, either one or both surfaces would be "tinned" prior to their actual attachment. In any case, my question was, had anyone ever repaired one that way.
