I am installing impala head gaskets on my Formula's rebuilt motor. Which side faces the heads, the woven side or the metal side?

Also, I have installed new alignment pins on the block (the machine shop tore up the old ones when removing them)? When reinstalling the heads, the pins are an awfully tight fit. Should I be concerned?

 

On the head gaskets look at the water ports in the block. I think it should only line up good one way. I can't really remember which way I put them down. they should seal either way as long as all the water passages are surrounded

My heads went on pretty tight with the stock pins. as long as you can get them on without having to pull them down with the head bolts you should be fine. Tap the heads down with a rubber mallet. Tap lightly. If they don't go down then you need to make sure the holes aren't starting to gull up in the heads. Iron heads always seem to go on smoother than the aluminum ones, so it could just be the difference in machining of the aluminum heads that makes them harder to go around the pins.