Went ahead and made a cutout in the shims and added a dab of sealant to the rope ends which I'd read somewhere (shop manual probably) not to do. Only a short drive so far and no leaks yet. Time will tell. Thanks for all the input.
Matthew 6:33
1952 Chevy 1/2-ton 3100 Late '55 235/SM420/torque tube 3.55 Dalton Highway survivor (using original 216) www.truckwithaheart.com