Just go for it Eric. The $1500'ish you spend now will always be cheaper than selling this thing and buying a different vehicle.
You don't strike me as someone looking to go hog wild on these things in terms of power. I wouldn't even bother w/ head studs. Just get the heads checked out, flattened as needed (for a smooth mating surface) and slap some good head gaskets on it and go.
My heads were R & R'd inframe. IIRC I paid about 14-15 hours labor to have it done. What jacked up my price big time was having the heads completely redone in the process.
* Obviously first determine without a shadow of doubt its a Headgasket issue
You don't strike me as someone looking to go hog wild on these things in terms of power. I wouldn't even bother w/ head studs. Just get the heads checked out, flattened as needed (for a smooth mating surface) and slap some good head gaskets on it and go.
My heads were R & R'd inframe. IIRC I paid about 14-15 hours labor to have it done. What jacked up my price big time was having the heads completely redone in the process.
* Obviously first determine without a shadow of doubt its a Headgasket issue