ok I always wanted a cool old truck. I thought I found one. I put a new tranny, engine, carb, radiator, hell name it into my "black bart" or AKA 'the cash toilet"

1500 miles into it, the head gasket gave out. never seated. I thought I could trust the garage that did the work, but gaskets were out of warranty after 90 days, and had to put more doe-re-me into it. They redid the gasket, I redid the radiator etc.

do I roll dice to find a new garage or do I amber up to the bar for another dose of sodomy? I found another garage that has told me to take it back to the first for warranty work, which I have but find much of what I need isn't under warranty.

bottom line. I have new head gaskets on the engine, do I owe the motor a re-torque after a few hundred miles, or do I "assume" the original garage put a new gasket on that doesn't need re-torqueing. The management there has fallen apart, so the door is open fo a new garage. looking at it wil require a new valve gasket, according to the first garage. so I'm open to suggestions.

Also in seattle, WA, I could use a good recomendation for a mechanic...

thanks, Bill