Dave,

  If you are that far into a rebuild and you have shavings in the oil, I 
would complete the job. If one of those little shavings is stuck in a 
oil hole next to a bearing it might plug the hole and the bearing will 
run dry. Splitting the case is not that bad and the more you do it the 
easier it will get. Another option is to get your local shop to rebuild your
short block, its a lot less lobor than the whole job and they have all the 
tools. Good luck.
 PS.
  Try moving the cam follower on the bent pushrod and see if it is seized.
Some metal may be lodged in the bore and that could have caused the pushrod
to fail.

                                              Steve
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\  Steve Walker                                     '64' Micro "Amelia" /
/   E-Mail: Walker4@ccfsun.nrl.navy.mil                 Rags rule!!!    \
\    Voice: (202) 767-6978                                              /
/      Fax: (202) 404-6168                                              \
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