Intermittent Backfiring After New Head Gaskets

^^^ This, meaning Don't Fill the Rad all the way to the top. Correct?
Yeah, leave an inch of space.
If you don't leave enough, the radcap will release whatever is too much.
Yeah it makes a mess, lol, so put a bucket under the rad until it's finished fussing.

BTW
We're talking about classic cars here, that have oversize top tanks.

If your more modern car was born with a recovery system, let it be.