I realize that his post should probably go elsewhere but since I am new and not allowed to post on many of the more maintenance/trading/for sale/wtb-wtt boards so I decided to post it here, sorry if this is against any rules!

I purchased an evo IX RS with basically every upgrade possible aside form a racing block/head from a buddy of mines body shop after the owner defaulted on some expensive post-wreck body work etc. I got it for a mint thinking it would be a good deal, which it really was. Great car only used in rally-cross, 19k miles and really really cheap for how ridiculously powerfull this car is. After several months of pain and anguish trying to get the thing back in tiptop shape without completely depleting my bankroll I am finally almost there. I am no genious when it comes to these kind of cars and it has really been a learning process for me and a good amount of fun messing around with it when i am not freaking out about it. Well, after getting it running perfectly for about 3 days we began having some intermittent problems and a substantial misfire problem and eventually a sever gasket blowout. I tore the engine down to the head gasket which had blown and found what seems to have caused a majority of the problems we have been seing.
There is slight imperfection in the stock head which is a small melt/imperfection on the outside of the most southern water jacket by the 4 cylinder (far right). The head gasket basically blew up in this area as well. We have been unable to pinpoint when this happened and may have been there for quite some time. The melt does not actually reach the cylinder but is very very close 1-2mm away and has been causing many of my problems i assume. I realize this may not be enough information to give any advice but here are the questions i have.
1. I have asked a few retired/other career machine shop people i know if it looks reparable and they say more than likely. The head is not warped and the imperfection does not look too sever. Do any of you think it is worth having a machine shop look at it and possibly allow them to repair it? Anyone know any good machine shops in the Austin area? (i am not opposed to going to dallas, houston, san antonio if there is a shop there that does good work.) Also, anyone know what kind of prices these things incur? I work an awful lot and have not had the time to take it in to a shop yet but i plan on doing so either late this week or early next week (beginning of OCT)
2. Are there any good vendors online etc (Cylinder heads international?) where i could get a refurbished head and send mine in as the core for a decent price?
3. I also have connections to get a brand new full head from mitsubishi for about 950$ A little more than I would prefer to spend but if this is the easiest/best option i will go with it. I am going to be moving soon and i would like to have this car up and running or at least ready to be transported on a flatbed.

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can give me. I live in central austin and if there is anyone who would like to come take a look or shoot the breeze let me know. Me and my buds are easy going people and wouldn't mind if anyone wanted to have a look and hang out for a bit. Honsetly there is alot of nice stuff in this car and the little I currently know does not allow me to identify the inner workings very well.

Again, any help would be much appreciated and sorry if this post is in the wrong category!

Thanks for your time, PM me or post here if you have any questions or advice.
-mp