Sometimes cheap isnt so cheap, especially when everthing needs be redone again a few thousand miles later. Sorry but I am pessimistic. You might ask qiestions like what pistons are used, are they all the same size, have the rod end been resized and rebushed, range of installed spring heights, what is the main and rod bearing tolerances, head Id, new or reground camshaft and lifters, new or stock valve springs, and so on. There are many ways of shortchanging a buyer.
Today I went in to the shop to pick up a set of rods I bought on ebay. they looked good, clean, apparently new bushings and resized big ends. The shop was to verify the bushing fitting and big end size. Neither were right. The rods are basically cores. These or worse could be in that rebuilt motor you are considering. The shop owner told me that more often than not when he checks resized rods they are not correct. In my case there was a .001 taper from center to outside, and bushings had not been replaced but only had a hone run through them to look like it.
Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.
