easy way to solve this. the rocker cover bolts are vertical, the bolts you're talking about run horizontally, right?
if so, they're the manifold bolts. and like doug said, you just need to take the head off, take it into an engine builders and get them to helicoil the threads you've stripped
a head gasket isn't hard, but it's not exactly a small job either, you're going to need a torque wrench and a workshop manual, and feeler gauges and some idea of how to set tappets. if you don't understand any of that, take it to a mechanic
if the bolts you're talking about are vertical, and are indeed head bolts, then you're probably easier to just throw the engine away and get one from the paper or a forum or the wreckers
if you've stripped a vertical bolt, but one of the ones that hold the rockers down, then that's no big deal, proceed as if you've stripped a manifold bolt. my good head has ALL helicoils holding in the rocker covers. one doesn't even line up, so it doesn't have a bolt in it