Don, I'm confused about 'bore the main'. Are you saying that one of the main bearing journals on the crankshaft is scored requiring the crank to be turned? Or do the mains need to be line bored?
If the crank needs to be turned, that's not uncommon and nothing to be afraid of. Line boring is much more involved, not just in the process itself but the resulting relationship of the cam and crank timing gears.
The 235 you have uses the same crank as the 261, so you could check that one out to see if it is in better shape. You might find that it can be used as-is or simply needs to have the journals polished with 600 grit emery cloth, a process that you can do yourself to save some money.
Sounds like rebuilding your 261 or buying another one will cost more than reworking your 235. Only you can determine if it's worth it.
Matt
