I've taken a lot of motors apart in my days but have never seen a con' rod bent, seen easily with bare eyesight, it was BENT into an easily seen S shape, this was a running engine, the piston and crank none the worse for wear because of this.  My only option was to get a reconditioned rod, it came with a new bushing, I had this reamed to fit my pin.  Since everything else seemed fine, we'll use the same piston, do a ring job and put it back together.  This is a '54 239 EUB, it will replace the engine in my car now.  There is no sign of any damage whatever, top of piston is smooth, head is fine.  Only thing I can think of would be bad wires or cap, causing incorrect firing or something, who knows, doesn't make sense to me.

warren