i recomend you guys get an "HP" book. There is "how to rebuild a small block chevy" and "how to rebuild a small block ford". This books are invaluable! Gives the history, specs, and hot to info. The best book for this. Writyen by "HP" , easy to find at your local book store.
Just the fact that you are asking this question is a good sign. The desire to learn how to do it correctly is a big positive. It's not hard. There are some really good books out there as well as lots of info on the net. The two things I suggest is a clean place to do it and a quality engine stand. Especially for that Nailhead. They don't like cheap stand. I 'm a big fan of the geared head stands that Cornwell sells. Don't need anyone to help me turn an engine over. Good measuring tools are also important and the patience to measure correctly. You can farm out the actual machine work and concentrate on the diss***embly, measuring, and ***embly. I dis***emble engines in the general shop area, but get a little OCD when it goes back together. As Engine Pro said dirt is the enemy. $75 here to tank a block and a set of heads. $30 a hole to bore.
$160 to bore and hone.$60-80 to have pistons put on rods and rods resised,and $80 to turn crank.if you want the block maged im not sure how much it is but im sure its not more then $150.
learned tons of tricks working for a major engine remanufacture co. when your around it all day you really can't help but learn a few things. also the fact that we sent out 125+ motors a day made the exposure pretty excessive in most peoples view. the guys that worked there were really good at answering quetions and directing you to the person that knew the info you needed. being we were a ford reman. i still remember the flathead V8's that sat in the storage warehouse wrapped up ready to go and having them offered to you monthly at "haul them away" prices because they had been sitting there for years tucked away and they were really in the way. hell they would go to the extremes to even let you make payments on one. why buy a rebuilt flathead for $600 when you could get a 350 chevy for $300, 50% less.
Well I'm one those jump in head first type fellows, I never took a engine cl*** our anything of the sorts. I just had the opportunity to work on alot of flat 6 and flat 8 motors those are so simple even I can do it, LOL . Please, please, please make sure to do the OEM torque specs, one more time please torque to OEM specs. I will be rebuilding the 390 in my '71 Ford F250, I guess I might get a book for this rebuild. But if you can tear it apart you can rebuild it buddy.
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