I have built loads of engines with wire O rings in the block that bite into composite head gaskets just outside of the fire ring of the gasket. The localised compression of the gasket is a great way to run very high cylinder pressures with a stock gasket. I agree, copper gaskets went out after WW1, and have no place as a head gasket on a modern engine.
Until I got a milling machine I used a hand tool from Iskenderian in the US to put the O ring grooves in blocks. In typical US style it was called the Iskenderian Groov-Matic tool, I think they are still available from here:
http://www.iskycams.com/glossary.php
O ringing of blocks is still a very good way of running cheap head gaskets on turbo engines.
I have never seen an RB2* engine acually have head gasket troubles witha stock gasket, even at high boost, unless somehing else was amiss. I often wonder where this "need" for multi layer shim gaskets from expensive sources originated from...
