[Ray_G]

Thanks Andy,
BUT, I am a dumb*****. I can't believe my problem is this simple. Some idiot (not me, I never got to drive this car, just tore it down) on a previous valve adjusting spree over tightened the nuts on the rockers sooooo tight that they stretched the threads on the adjusting screws. The studs would screw down about 1 turn past the valve adjustment position and then they FREEZE UP. I just now took the nuts off the rockers and tried to get screws out, no way. They go in about half way and stop. Which, is just about 1mm into the piston to valve clearance check. I had one valve that checked over 2mm and I never went any farther because there was no need. That is the ONLY stud I can unscrew from the rocker, it came out by hand.
As soon as I get them freed up and working smoothly I guess it is back to square one.
I figured this out because I assembled cyl 1 and 3 with all the base gaskets I had, and that gave each cylinder a 2mm gasket. I then checked the clearance after timing it up. Guess what, nothing changed, not even a little bit. WTF. I finally took a screw driver once the adjustment screw on the rocker stopped moving and pushed on the top of the valve spring (yes the valve moved too). Guess what, it went down more, lots more. Live and learn. I suppose.
Ray