Bob;
The 'kids' today believe everything they read or hear from their 'peers' & never people who have done it for years and "know the ropes".
Hard seats are ONLY needed if:
1) Your running a catilic converter.
2) Your running a commercial vehicle.
3) Your building a Hot Rod engine for racing.
A non-commercial, non-smog (used engine) in a passenger car doesn't need them.
This is the "general rule" for most and 'dreaming up' exceptions can't change it.
If you want to spend the money anyway, or call it "preventive maintaince" okay, but there still NOT needed. Engines rebuilt for antique vehicles rarely go 30,000 miles more; as their just driven to shows and other events and never abused.
Machine Shops put them in because they assume your going to run a 'Cat'.
Now; If your head is 'beat up' so bad that it takes one to fix a cylinder, that's the one you put it in is all. You DON'T need 6 or 12 new ones.
Get your car going & see if you like it etc. If you do; then build a custom engine for it, with ALL the "bells & whistles" you like from the ground up.
