[hgs_notes]

I think I'm going with the 350 and will salvage what I can of the 400. I have a bad feeling that the block is cracked, which would explain the amount of water in the cylinders and probably why the truck ended up parked to begin with. My guess is overheated and cracked, but we'll see.

I've done a little checking on heads for the 350. The ones from the 400 might be useable as-is, but I don't know yet. Rebuilding them is pretty much out of the question for a couple reasons. Spoke with a local machine shop and they charge $115 per head for basic clean up, valve job and new guides, plus parts. These heads were the small valve style and though performance is not a priority, why do all this work and then choke it down when there are cheap alternatives. There are piles of good heads out there. I've done two searches on craigslist and have found complete rebuilt heads for as little as $150 for the pair. I even found a set of iron World heads, still new for $300. Unfortunately, cash flow at this moment is low, so I'll just have to keep watch for now and jump on the best deal I can get when I can get it.

My next step is to just order the re-ring kit for the 350 and get the short block together. Clean up the covers, etc. and spray some paint on them. I will pull the 400 and see what is salvageable. If it's not cracked and the bores are useable, I'll save it for the next engine project. I'll get the heads cleaned up and checked for cracks at the very least. If they are good, I can sell them to offset the cost of the rebuild some.

Unfortunately, this project has to sit for awhile due to my work schedule. I probably won't even see it for the next 2 or 3 weeks. At least the engine is in my garage on the stand and ready to get worked on. I'm pretty confident that I'll drive this thing before winter is over. I'd say sooner, but would probably be jinxing myself.