I don't have all my fingers and I don't know who you got off using head bolts.
The Shop Manuals say to use head bolts. I do not use head bolts but I see no problem in using them on these engines.
And, re-torquing head bolts is not a no-no operation on these old engines. The Shop Manuals tell us to re-torque the head bolts on a warmed-up engine before adjusting the mechanical lifters. I have done that many times and I have never had a bad head gasket.
