A 82C stat will do NOTHING to protect your engine, over a 88C stat, I use a 88C even now in the summer, just have to reset my ecu to on at 98C and off at 95C, high temps don't kill HG's, boost does, but some people pray on cossie paranoia with HG!!
In the old days some drilled a small 3-4mm hole in the stat to assist in dispelling air and preventing air locks, but with using a expansion tank system and having a nice free flowing pipe from highest point on engine to tank this isn't needed, and it slows the warm up time down markedly.
tabetha