Kind of urgent: Oil pan/timing cover/gasket compatibility???

[cortcomp]

I have a 66 327 (short water pump orig to my truck) at the machine shop getting final assembly done. The oil pan was beat up and i decided to replace with something stockish. Reading here and other places i learned about thick vs thin oil pan gaskets and that it depends on the oil pan which one you need. So, i bought the following pan and gasket and dropped it off:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-G3500X (specifically says for thick gasket)

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/fel-os34510t (specifically says IS a thick gasket)

I heard back from the machine shop and the guy said that (with the motor upside down mind you ) that the gasket is too thick and it won't let the oil pan rest down to start the bolts.

He claims that around 74 chevy changed the timing covers and that the oil pans are the same from 50-whatever to like the 90s and i just need a newer timing cover.

Now, from everything i read (and i'm a pontiac guy so this is all new to me) the timing covers are the same except for details like timing pointer, etc. and you just need to match the oil pan to the gasket. The guy has built literally hundreds of strong running local circle track, racing, and stock motors, and has more experience than i've been alive. To complicate things, he had an old cast racing cover or some brand or another, and threw it on real quick, and the pan went right into place.

He recommended something like this (no chrome, but you get the idea) but i don't like the verbage about maybe needing to shim the short water pump out to clear the cover? Are there issues with going over an older timing set? Do cam buttons come into play?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/su...make/chevrolet

In pontiacs you pick a 9 or 11 bolt cover and you put it on and done. There just is no oil pan/gasket/timing cover differences except where the drain plug is. This is all kind of too much to learn on a busy friday!

I have a rehearsal dinner tonight and a wedding mid day tomorrow, so i have a narrow window of opportunity to get the right parts to him this weekend. I would appreciate any input any of you guys have.