Do you have to get a realignment when you change the front struts, & whats the best way to go for shocks/struts all the way around if you just want to stay stock? My local shop wants $480 for parts/labor/alignment to do the front & back, which seems pretty costly! Any ideas from other people's experience would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

Without knowing what shocks they are selling you its hard to say if thats a good price. Generally you don't need alignment with a shock replacement.
Bilsteins are a good stock replacement shock.
You can easily change out the rear shocks yourself if you are competent in the garage.
The fronts are trickier, you can do most of it yourself except for swapping the springs from the old shocks on to the new ones. For that you either need a spring compressor and maybe an impact wrench for the top nut or to pay a shop to swap the spring for you.

 

For that price I doubt you're getting Bilsteins.
They're not that bad to do yourself. The fronts are fairly easy too as long as you take the assembly somewhere to have a pro swap in new shocks.
If I were you I'd at least get Bilsteins even if you're not that concerned about handling. From what I've heard and seen Bilsteins and Konis are the only shocks worth considering putting on an f-body that sees a lot of street use.

 

Call Sam Strano for shocks. For a lot less than $480 you can get Bilsteins, a spring compressor and do it yourself.

You won't need an alignment either unless you mess with the lower a-arm and/or tie rod which isn't neccessary to change your shocks.

Bottom line, call Sam and talk to him about what you want to do.