1982 350 new heads questions

[TwoFiftyShifter]

Hey guys, easy one here. I just sold an M20 transmission for 600 bucks so I can afford new heads. My 82 K10 has a good wrench 350 with a Qjet and headers. Has about 50K miles on it. Puffs a bit of smoke on startup, but doesn't use much oil. I drive highway and have 2.73 gears. Would like a bit more low rpm torque.

If I get vortec heads, I will need to get a spread bore vortec intake. So,

Should I get a set of heads that use the old style intake? Is there something comparable to the vortecs for daily driver usage?

Would going from 76cc heads to 64cc add enough compression that 87 octane might be too low?

Should I go Summit/Jegs brand vortecs at $350 each, or the chevy performance that I see for 450 each?

What exactly are "self aligning rocker arms"? Are they easy to put on? I have not done a head job before.