The Rover service manual for the 1.4 K16 engine I am working on implies that the cams are reinstalled into the head before refitting the head, although this may be just the way the separate procedures are described.
However, it would be a damn sight easier to bolt the head back without cams, lifters, etc, and then install them once the head bolts have been torqued up. My only concern is that the head might rely on the cam carrier for extra rigidity, and that the cam bearings won't be true if there is any distortion in the bottom part of the head following tightening the bolts up. Or, I might just be being paranoid!
If anyone has enough experience to comment on if it's ok (or not) to do things this way, I'd appreciate it...
Andy.