The way I see it, Dangerous Doug has a few minor things with his engine he wants to fix and at the same time do some upgrades..He wants to do them himself and learn about engines as he goes, BEEN THERE/DONE THAT.......there is nothing more rewarding than being able to say you did the engine yourself.......my first time was 36 years ago when I did a cam/intake/carb/header upgrade on my otherwise stock Ford Truck (302), did it kinda like Doug's suggesting, in the truck,didn't even take the hood off
, PITA, but I was very young and energetic, would never do it again without pulling the engine......live and learn by your mistakes!!!!!!!!!
I don't agree with all what Doug's planning to do and how he is planning to do it, but, he didn't ask that question, he just asked for help in doing it the way he wants to do it and if he's dead set on doing it a certain way, then let him do it that way...
I'll offer him advise if he ask's for it and let it go at that....
I'm guessing he has a basically stock 302 bottom end, don't know any different,and the in-the-car honing method for his intended purpose will suffice for what I would consider a "standard rebuild/freshen".....
We're not talking about a 9000rpm NASCAR engine, just a 302 with a cam/cylinder head upgrade.......
David