Never mind

With all due respect, I don't need to be told what to understand. I understand perfectly that I asked a specific question and people who had no answer to the actual question chose to offer unsolicited advice I already know. I am not saying they are not intelligent and experienced in the subject at hand. I am saying everyone chose to tell me a bunch of information I never asked for.

If I could delete this thread I would. It has been a massive waste of time.
Check Summit web for KB399 pistons. Then scroll and click more specifications and scroll down to compression height. That shows 1.810".
1/2 stroke is 1.655""
Con rod is 6.123"
That totals 9.588"
The UEM site states the piston is 0.010" above a 9.578 deck height. So that matches. IMHO,I would let the machine shop skim the block for a deck height of 9.83". Then use a 0.035" compressed head gasket.