[RICK LAKE]

Olddog, No engine builder can make that call. The best they can do is sonic test and pressure test the block. Maniflux it for cracks. If you are looking for 500+ HP out of this overbored block a partial fill of blockloc will help enforce the cylinder walls and stablize it. How much abuse it this motor going to get?? Normal driver with a Little play time, seen guys run this way for years. I think that is you talk to Keith, George, or a couple of the other top motor builders for FE motors, they will say that 80-90% of the motor living is from good machine work, preparation, clean area, good assembly skills, and breakin running. Possible, Yes. Doable Sure. Lasting a long time, Maintainance and luck.
As far as Pat Ganahl It's got alot of good info for a first time Ford motor builder or someone looking at buying a used block. They are few things that I have other articles and books that say different things. You also have again some of the best FE builders still around for the 60's on the west coast that should have writen the book. Finding and reading as many FE buildups as possible and getting the correct ID# for parts is the best place to start before BUYING and thing. I learned this the hard way too. I have a 428 motor in the shed that was to be a 428. When I removed the heads found a 4.05 bore with a 3.98 stroke. I have a 410. Guy wouldn't let me pull the motor apart to check. This should have raised a RED flag. I was stupid to not walk away but the fact of seeing it was too much and all the other info and serial number he had that the motor came out of an LTD car. Live and learn.

As far as old blocks, we ran 100K seasoned blocks for years with no failures to them and bored them .060" The material pour they where made with had some last forever and some not make it out of the dyno room. The nickle content was the big thing for strength of the block and iron IMO. Rick L.