Leslie,
Check this out:
http://britishv8.org/swaps/motors.htm
I have been looking for a great Ford engine to replace my 350 someday. But, your last topic put a scare in me. All these problems!
I've beat the he!! out of my old '69 Camaro engine since 1988. I've played with three different cams and four intake manifolds and three carburetors, to see what difference they made. I managed to break a piston ring and spin a harmonic balancer and wear out the old distributor over the years, but nothing as serious as you described. Running 8 and 16 hour rallies with a lot of high revs doesn't bother it at all. Maybe I better leave it alone?
Paul