Head job and stiff nipples

Short update on the Pan. As heads where now removed time was due to get their internals inspected. As most engine heads are hard to get properly placed in a vice. My preference is to make a custom tool to fit in the spark plug hole, this in its turn allow an easier fit in the vice and the head can easily be turned to the most sutable angle. Spark plug threads on my Pan heads where 14x1,25, easily turned in my trusty Mayford screw cutting lathe (what would life be without one?).
It appeared my 25 year old valve spring compress tool had to be slightly modified to be able to work on the Pan heads too, no big deal.

To be able to get the manifoild nipples removed without disturbing the head threads (their threads where badly disturbed in the area where the securing rivet had been replaced by a soft screw. This allowing those parts to work back and forth, no good and a fair amount of gasket compound did not solve the "real" problem) they had to be split twice by a junior hack saw blade, a paintaking process of umpteen minimal cuts. When split the intake nipples where given enough pain by a chisel to slip out of their holes, sucess, no thread damage.

Upon inspection of valves, guides, springs etc. the conclusion was quite easy, change it all!