Jim,
I am no expert on this problem but can tell you what a couple of people around here that I know found. The headers burning in spots were caused by unburned gas igniting in them. Their
oil blow by was caused by using a breather with a pcv valve. I just use a pcv valve on the right valve cover and no breather on both my stroked Windsor, 416 CI, and on my 429 SJC. They both came that way and I have never had a single drop of
oil show up. As for your edielbrock carb. I have no experience with them at all and others in the club can certainly give you a lot better advise. I do have a breather on the left hand valve cover that goes into the air cleaner and I have ran both these engines for years. The stroker is 5 years old and the 428 is 33 years old. Hope this will give you some ideas of what to look at.
Ron61