[mattfranklin]

Thanks for the kind words! I wish it would go faster but time and money are in such short supply.

I need to post some pics, but the engine is now out and partially stripped down.

Good news:
Piston tops all pretty clean and consistent.
Forged 30-over pistons, L2256 (at least I'm assuming -- unless someone makes an "L2256" that is cast)
Nice looking bores in all cylinders: clean, good cross-hatch and no ridge
Big Valve heads (based on visual spacing between valves may even be 2.02/1.6?)
Slightly mangled clutch pressure plate with missing bolts, and some bolts that were too long to actually tighten the pressure plate assembly to the flywheel and warped bent diaphragm fingers -- This is all actually good news because it may explain the "rod noise" that didn't quite sound like rod noise.

Bad News:
A surprising amount of sludge in the heads and lifter galley.
(I'm wonder if the engine wasn't cleaned very well when it was "rebuilt about 30,000 miles ago").
Not thick, but some surprising flakes and chunks of it.
Cast crank.
Heads are '624, that have been described in numerous places on the Internet as the the "worst heads ever"

Still Unknown:
2 or 4 bolt mains? It is the '0010 block casting and was said to be a "truck engine," so there is a chance. Hope to pull the pan find out that today.
State of the rod and main journals. Will take a look and confirm if the "rod noise" was just clutch parts failing or real crank noise. For now will use my eyeballs and plasti-gage. Not sure if I want to invest in a set of micrometers.