UPDATE:
I have been reading a ton of information and trying to figure out if I am going to rebuild my current engine or buy a crate one. I am a novice to engine work and have learned the most by tearing mine down piece by piece. If I either rebuild or buy a crate, I figure I gotta know if my block is solid enough for a rebuild anyways, so I have been tearing it down.
It is a great experience to tear down your first engine, I have been taking notes and looking at how each moving piece makes the engine work. My wife is a SAINT and has let me take over the garage these past few days. I am almost done with the tear down and will be taking the block to a machinist this weekend to give it a once over.
PS...I believe Gramps had aluminum head covers. Can those be cleaned off and painted/powder coated?
