Going to get my engine rebuilt locally, I think? I will disassemble all the front dress off of it and carb and intake and basically just take the engine with the heads on it into the shop.

They want $3300 to rebuild the Engine and heads and then they will do the assembly to basically make it a turnkey long block.

Included in that price is $600 to rebuild the heads.
Personally I think all that is money well spent, but I have questions.

I’ve been reading up about heads and increased horsepower and torque and such, mine is just gonna be an old grandpa mobile but I would like for it to run good for a long time to come, and reliability is king!!!!

Also if it matters, I will be getting rid of the carburetor and going to a FiTech setup.

In your opinion would you get a pair of aluminum heads, a pair of rebuilt GT 40 heads, or just let them rebuild my stock 302 heads on the 71 motor??? Assuming the money is just about the same give or take!?

'71 heads won't have hardened valve seats. Those will cost more to rebuild than some gt40s from the wrecking yard.

It’s a cheap, easy install. 4 wires, 2 sensors that I can do myself!
$525 used once while a guy tuned his engine on an engine stand and then ended up selling the engine.
So like everything I do, my decision was based on cheapness!!

*** I posted my same question on Facebook and ended up with a pair of Edelbrock E Street aluminum heads.