Thanks Daver2, before I bite off the socket replacement I am doing a bit more testing to feel confident that it is the source of the troubles. I have swapped out the 6502 with a couple of others that I have in the parts box. The one I currently have installed is up and running your pet tester - currently at pass 000023 (35) which is further than it has gotten previously before the machine freezes.
Also, how many passes do you typically perform when troubleshooting memory? Does running Pet Tester from a 2532 make any difference or would a 2716 be preferable?