Kip's41 asks about oil pan gaskets, "...set of cork strips and a set of rubber strips...."
Use a generous amount of old fashion "Permatex A" and quit your fretting. Comes in a tube, part #1372.
Some points. Oil pan gaskets will have or not have a "tab and landing" affair where the oil pan meets the timing gear cover and the rear crank saddle, last one near flywheel.
If your set has two tabs on either end of the timing gear gasket and rear crank saddle, you must use a matching set of rail gaskets. Easy to spot, your rail gaskets will look a little "short" at the timing gear cover and rear saddle. This little bit too short thing is to allow a protruding tab, fits against the block, to fit in a narrow gap formed by your rail gaskets.
Very easy to see upon inspection. If those tabs and a thin sloping "wing" is present, make sure those match up well with your rail gaskets. Either fit or don't fit.
More critical, your cork gaskets are thinner than your rubber gaskets. This is year specific. Early year models use the cork gaskets, later years, the rubber gaskets. I "think" your 1953 needs the thinner cork gaskets but I am not sure, my age addled memory will not cooperate. Might even have all this thin and thick stuff backwards, but I know there is a difference by year.
Here is how you determine. Without adhesive or anything, place all your gaskets in place using the front and rear cork gaskets. Up front and back rear, your oil pan should meet your gaskets just like along the edges; all is equal. If your oil pan does not quite press against your front and rear cork gaskets, you need those rubber gaskets.
Contrasting, try your rubber front and rear gaskets. If your oil pan stands up above your edge gaskets, a noticeable amount, you need those cork gaskets.
Press down on your oil pan for both types of gaskets to better gauge your fit when oil pan bolts are installed.
Test fit your oil pan. Which you use, cork or rubber, is determined by how well those front and rear gaskets fit. Cork is thin, rubber is thick. Cork for older engines, rubber for newer.
Difference here is actually the oil pan. Older models have a smaller "circle" up front and rear. Larger on newer models.
Look on your cardboard box for your gasket set, sometimes, not often, but sometimes a note is on there about those gaskets.
Whichever, go with the set which best fits all away around the pan; must fit equally, no major gaps anywhere.
Serious about the Permatex A sealant. This is the absolute best for an oil pan and side valve cover. Don't use silicon nor a spray type sealant; always begins to leak in time.
Billyray
