Actually ... is replacing these valves a feat that could be accomplished by a newbie ? :)

Assuming you have tools and space, taking the head off is no big deal, then you'll know where you stand. I would do that first, then check out your options. I know how you feel , I had a T-belt strip a few teeth ( when it was idleing) and instantly bent 8 valves.
Good Luck

Pulling the head is not particularly difficult. Once off you can take it to a good local machine shop and they can rebuild as necessary or you can exchange the head for a rebuilt. I believe one of the members here offers an exchange program.
Are you sure you did the compression test properly. I'd try it again before pulling the head off.

Good luck
Jon

+1

To really destroy every valve in your engine, you'd need to lose the belt when the engine is running. It sounds like the only opportunity you had to bend valves would have been when you tried to start it with questionable timing.

I can't imagine that any damage you did was so severe that you would be getting no compression at all on any cylinder. Try doing the compression check again and let us know what happens.

Okay guys ... will do ... Thanks.

It was curious to me that I could of damaged everything so severely ... not that its something that would be impossible of course ... but that I've really tried to do things as gingerly as possible. Perhaps, it is likely that I'll upload a few images as well ... pictures a tad more descriptive than words alone ... in the hope that these may shed some "light" as to the condition of the motor, etc. [... by no means in mint condition, but not as ramshackled as a car I saw in a pick-a-part yard (... the block ... exterior wise)].

This too, which brings me to another question ... is it a good idea to remove parts from this other car e.g. the head? Maybe ... the idea being to have it hot-tanked/cleaned and parts extracted from it? I know its a silly question ... used parts ... but I'd like a confirmation that its either not worth the time & money ... or that there may be something I can salvage from it?

Thanks a million gents'

MGB