It's more commonly known as "quench height". I always shoot for .040"-.045". Lingenfelter said .050" should be the max, and that .035" is getting close to the safe limit. Stock from the factory on a 60s-90s 350 could have been as high as .070" or more

, depending on actual deck height and gasket thickness. Several years ago, I tore down a unmolested 1985 350 that had either a .038" or .041" gasket ( I forget which) with the pistons "down the hole" .030", for a quench of approx .070". Those GM engineers weren't dummies, so I have no idea why engines were built that way.