SO I got the engine out and flywheel off (needs a new flywheel), heads and
cylinders off. Unfortunately Dennis was right about the block - the rear
thrust bearing is moving in its seat, I can rotate it about 1/8" inch.
Nobody in Vancouver area can machine these blocks and there isn't an
oversize bearing available, so it looks like a new used block for me. I'm
leaning towards letting the machine shop do the parts swap - polish the
crank, mic everything, install new bearings, probably new cam and lifters. I
could do this part myself and save $400 bucks but the chances of fouling up
something are good as I have NO experience with these engines. It's weird,
this engine was rebuilt not that long ago from all appearances - no cylinder
ridge and you can still see the crosshatch marks on the cylinder walls, oil
galleries drilled and plugged. I know the heads were rebuilt this summer.
Yet all told I'm still looking at a grand, not including new exhaust and
heqter boxes, and I'm still left with a questionable motor. So now I'm
wondering what one of these engine conversions cost?