Welcome Charlie...your car sounds great!.
Being you've referred to it as a survivor w/ original paint, is the overall paint decent and you're retaining it and/or partially repainting or is complete paint part of your resto plan?.
Have you had any success digging into the interior looking for a broadcast sheet etc and/or do you have any original documents?.
The original block repair comments are good advice but if it leaves your hands make sure to tie a tag to the block and black sharpie the deck both noting DO NOT RESURFACE or something to that effect..
No matter how well a front counter guy may seem to understand your concerns of keeping the deck stampings, the guy operating the equipment may routinely deck first before any other machining is done or measure the surface and deem it necessary even though the work order doesn't include it..
Best may be to speak first-hand to the machine operator the day the work is scheduled!!!
Amazing how many real L78 Novas and long time owners have appeared here of late!!!
~ Pete
