Help with Head Gasket selection

Thanks Krooser. You made me look around a bit and I found a patent application where this use of copper coating was described for rods. It says that copper coating is used to prevent the hardening process from reaching certain areas of the rod, by blocking the absorptionof carbon atoms used in the hardening carburizing atmosphere; the coating is applied and then is machined off in the areas where they DO want the hardening process to reach (like inside the big end).

So that makes some sense for the roller cam as you noted: Using the copper to prevent the surface hardening in some areas.

US8074355B1 - Method for manufacturing a connecting rod for an engine - Google Patents