Today, I got the parts I'd ordered from O'Reilly Auto Parts and got to work. I replaced the oil ring in the #4 piston that got bent during installation (as noted by a nice line down the cylinder wall that shouldn't be a problem - I was too embarrassed to mention that I'd messed that up), and got it all back in. Tightened down the windage tray and installed the new stock oil pump with the new stock pickup tube. Unfortunately, it looks like the stock pickup is just 'that much' too deep for the new stock (chrome) oil pan, so I'll have to buzz a couple 16ths off the bottom of the shroud to fit right.
After that, I rotated everything around to line up at TDC and slid on the cam sprocket, crank gear, and timing chain. Then, I got the timing cover cleaned up, painted, and installed, followed by the water pump after a nice coat of Old Ford Blue (which, BTW, is the right color... because that's what color I painted it
).
Finished up by getting the heads cleaned and painted, and they'll go on tomorrow. Also tested out the Crane Cams 5/16"-7/16" roller rocker studs, and it looks like they'll work just fine (without having to machine the heads, as CompCams wants you to do with their roller rocker stud mounts).
So tomorrow: clean and paint the crank pulley, timing marker, and oil dipstick tube, polish the thermostat housing, adjust the oil pickup, and install all those things along with the heads, roller rockers, pushrods, valve covers, and oil pan. Then, the engine will be 'done' until the intake shows up and it's time to drop into the car. I'm SO excited!! Pictures coming tomorrow.