for that kinda bucks i'd go with a low mileage junkyard engine. swapping an engine is a no-brains affair, compared to the things that could go wrong with the head gasket fix, sometimes not until quite a while later when you can't collect on the warranty. even a warped head will seal with a new gasket, for a while......
PS last time i got a quote from a dealer for a head gasket, they told me $3K. even $1700 is too much, unless they do some head work at the same time. anyway, that's why my civic now has a used B16 engine.
my popped gasket got started when my civic was new; it had a tendency to heat up since day 1, i assumed it was because the tiny radiator was so minimal. after a few years when it couldn't even deliver that level of cooling, i swapped it out, and was astounded that the new one never overheated. shortly thereafter, my head gasket paid the price of those few years of my assuming that the original factory radiator wouldn't have birth defects. on a humorous note, i just replaced the replacement radiator after like 15 years, due to a big leak; it turned out that despite its really ragged appearance, it was still intact, and the leak was coming from the innocent looking heater hose which had split down the bottom side. haha.
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.