Thanks for the help. I looked at the engine today and it was done properly but I passed on the project because it was a pile, no wait, many piles of crap. The block also turned out to be a replacement block, not the original one (no VIN stamp on it) This was a 71 Trans Am that I remembered from 1982. Completely rusted way back when, supposedly all new sheetmetal, awaiting paint now. NOT! The guy that has it now thinks it worth a ton of money. He keeps saying it was a complete car but whenever I would ask him where a particular part was LIKE THE FIREWALL DATA PLATE! he would just say "it's in one of the boxes somewhere."
Oh well, I got to renew some old frindships with the guys at the machine shop where this engine has been sitting for 10 years through 5 owners. I didn't realize it til I got there but I knew one of the guys from 1982. He used to do the machine work on my 426 Hemis back in the old days. The search continues...anyone know of a nice 70 to 72 Lucerne blue Trans Am out there?