[blykins]

I've only assembled one complete engine by myself. I'm starting on #2....a 406ci FE. So I'm not the best one to ask for advice or really technical stuff. But I'll do my best and give you my $.02.

If it were me, I'd take a look down the road and see what you're planning to do with the engine. If you're looking for high revs and high horsepower, then the stock stuff just won't do in my opinion. Well, it might do...but it's not bulletproof. You know what I mean?

Like you said, pistons are somewhat affordable these days. Buying a new set would allow you to get a good set of forged pistons...and then you would know exactly what compression ratio you have, compression height, etc.

Before you order a set though, you'll need to have your machine work done. It's almost a waste to put a brand new set of pistons and rings in a block that has not been bored/honed. Cylinders develop taper after awhile....You'll need to have the block bored. Do you have any idea on how this engine has been run in the past.....or even how long it's been run? There could be some underlying problems there that will need to be fixed before you sink a lot of money into a refresh.

Once it's bored, decked, and cleaned...then you can decide on what piston you'll need. Chances are, you'll need an overbore piston. You can buy off the shelf stuff....you'll just have to make your other components work around it.

You really need to figure out what you wanna do with the engine before you order parts. Every part you order will affect the buildup of this motor.

This is what I would do....take the block and have it checked and machined. When the machine shop tells you the bore and block deck height, then it's time to decide what cam you want to run and what compression ratio you want. If you have a set of heads you wanna use, then find out the combustion chamber size. That will greatly affect your compression ratio decision. Then when you decide on that aspect, you can pick out a set of pistons.

Bottom line....I would not reuse pistons/rings. If this engine has anything but just a few miles on it, you'll be tearing it back down later on....especially if it's had a rough life.

I would consider reusing rods. If they're straight, and you don't plan on revving this thing until it sings, then you should be fine. But if you're really wanting some power and bulletproof-ness, then I'd go ahead and spend the extra couple hundred bucks for a good set of I-beam or H-beam rods depending on your application.

Cam.....nah....ditch the cam. They're pretty cheap. Again, this engine may have had a really rough life....You can buy a solid lifter cam and lifters for under $200. That's cheap insurance.

Strip her down and take the block to a machine shop. You never can tell...it may go another round with standard bore and no machine work. But if it needs it, you'll have ease of mind later on...knowing everything is in tip-top shape.

Let me know what else I can do to help.