Brad that's a really nice engine. Will the bottom of the bellhousing/block plate have enough road clearance? I ended up trimming some off mine but it's an FFR with 4.5" clearance from ground to the framerails. The bottom of my
oil pan sits flush with the bottom of the framerails. See how much further down the bell plate extends? I'm not sure what kind of clearance the Lonestar has either. Just someting to check maybe before dropping that beauty in. Good luck thats an awesome engine for sure!!! As for paint and polish I hand polished my intake and timing cover also. Polished the brass expansion tank. The engine block and heads are painted black with your basic high temp engine paint with a satin clear over it. G.