What has caught me out in the past has been forgetting to remove the oil transfer pipe at the back of the head to the block, otherwise when everything else is off or out of the way some heads will lift easily others need a bit of persuasion, the last one we did moved after a bit of pressure with a small pry bar against a wood block between the water pump and timing cover, once it started to lift we pushed it down and and pulled at the back of the head when that started to lift we again pushed it back into place and then lifted from both ends and it came off without a struggle, I never use a pry bar between the head and block face but have needed to use small wooden wedges in the past to help things along.
Regarding the exhaust nut removal tool a friend if mine made me up one years ago out of a piece of flat bar, he bent one end to the shape of the clamping ring or nut, drilled a hole in it for a small piece of metal bar of the same size as the hole in the nut welded that to the bar and then welded a strengthening rib along the back forming a shallow T section. I still have it and it does the job fine, BODA in the UK have had two versions of the Bristol tool made and may have some left, I think they have an arrangement with the BOCA for exchange of parts so you might be able to get one through them.
Geoff.
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