Graphite Grease on Head gasket?

[Lynn]

I should FINALLY be able to assemble my 1.1 Opel GT engine tomorrow evening.

Reading up on the assembly procedure, the shop manual calls for coating the head gasket on both sides with graphite grease. I was thinking I would just spray both sides with Copper Coat.

Strangely, the same shop manual does NOT call for graphite grease on the head gasket of the 1.9 engine. Hmmm. Research indicates that the grease is not intended to help it seal, but intended to make it compress more easily. The 1.9 head bolts torque at 72 ft. lb., but the 1.1 head bolts torque at only 35. Never seen a head bolt torque that low. It is not a mis print, as I checked three sources, and they are all the same.

I think I am going to follow the procedure, but was wondering if anyone had any experience with any other odd little engines that called for graphite grease on the head gasket. If so, has that procedure been updated since 1969?