It is unlikely that the valves are your problem. The piston rings are likely frozen to the pistons; I've seen this before! MMO, or ATF poured into the cylinders (the priming cups are handy for this!) and let it sit a while, MAY free them up, but you are likely to have to pull the head & pan and take the pistons out, clean the glands and install new rings. Hone the cylinders to provide a surface for the rings to seat into. This won't cost anywhere near $5K! HOWEVER, once you open the engine up, you may find other issues. This is where experience, and a knowledge of what driving you will do with the car comes into play. Wear (like cylinder taper) may be found. What would be unacceptable for a car that will be toured may be tolerable on a car that will only be driven "around town" occasionally. Experienced folks will know what "will work" for now, and what "can't be ignored." It is not always necessary to bring machinery "back to factory specs" to have a reliable, operating, occasional use car, just don't expect it to act like a "newly-built" car!
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