Hey everyone,
Thanks for the replies! The place I visited is called Legend Racing, website:
http://www.legendracingent.com/
Mongo: You addressed my first concern: I can't tell if I need a rebuild or if they are overselling a much simpler job of resealing. Apparently, they have Yoda on staff, so flipping trucks requires little force.
Mr48Chev: Thank you for correcting the pictures. I believe that both the rear seal and valve cover gasket are leaking, from what the mechanic at Legend told me. He also suggested to do a compression test first before planning any repairs. My problem still is that I don't know how to interpret his suggestions. If they are needed to keep me on the road, of course I'll do it.
Fiftee3: I would love to have the engine worked on without pulling it, but both the Chevy mechanic and the Legend mechanic seem convinced of it. I can only hope that as you said, someone around Chicago sees the thread and comes by to point fingers at what I need to know.