Studs allow for greater higher clamping force and greater accuracy when torquing. Studs are my main recommendation when it's possible.
Head gasket thickness is going to depend entirely on your planned build and how much machining must be done to the head and block... I cannot advise you on that. Stopper headgaskets offer absolutely excellent sealing even under very demanding circumstances BUT they require incredibly accurate machining and a VERY low surface RA on both head and deck... failure to meet this will result in failure. Bead type head gaskets are generally more forgiving and are the more common type. They're not as forgiving as composite but hold up extremely well as long as everything was prepped well and the required RA is met as well. Cometic makes the most forgiving bead type HG if you cannot be certain of the surface RA being below 20. Any type of metal HG will suffice as long as everything is done properly.
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