There is a 6" span between all of those screws on the side cover. Like Ken said, make sure the sealing surface is straight and that the stiffening flanges are not bent or torn and that the holes are not dimpled. Don't over tighten the screws, that's what bends up the covers.
Plain cork gaskets will weep, in other words the gasket will get oil soaked and you will probably see damp metal around the gasket edges. Some of the gaskets are/were rubberized and they were better at keeping the dry on the outside.
Even though I worked for Chevrolet in the late 50's and early 60's my memory isn't good enough for me to remember what a stovebolt looked like after it had been in the field for a few years. They just may have been moist with oil like most of ours are today.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL
