[ace's68]

I vote bronze as well. Black makes me yawn and is a cop out imho.

My car was originally corvette bronze, the color of the engine clashed. I went viper blue and the engine is orange, looks good now.

My buddy that also has a corvette bronze '68 painted his engine corvette bronze, looks good.

 

[ace's68]

I would just leave the head gaskets.

You'd really want to measure your piston distance in the hole and get the correct thickness gasket anyway which would require some time and a dial indicator, and of course money and time waiting for the gaskets.

Go with a one piece oil pan gasket and the good blue rubber valve cover gaskets, they can be swapped on to your new motor.