With the head off of the engine, rotate the crankshaft until the piston you want to check is on top dead center. Place some modeling clay on top of the piston which you are checking for valve to piston clearance. Make sure the crankshaft will not turn and install the head with the gasket you are going to use. Don't expend your head gasket by going through the torquing sequence, just tighten the head bolts enough to secure the head. Rotate the camshaft through a full revolution. Remove the head and see how thin, or thick the modeling clay is. Experimenation will be necessary with the amount of clay to use. It will probably be necessary to put a little engine oil on the valve heads to prevent them from sticking to the clay. I'm sure that you get the idea. The same operation can be performed with the cam timed to the crankshaft to see what actual operating clearances are. I can't remember what the suggested static clearance is. You need some to insure that dynamic clearances are insured. Ten thousnandths inch of static clearance would probably amount to piston and valve interference under operating comditions.