Hey Grant sorry to hear of your engine woes, I can relate. I hope you get your truck underway in less time than it's taking me.
I am probably gonna get some flak on this but I am dubious about the value of balancing an inline 6. Equalize the piston and rod weights, yes. Balance the crank - no. The Inline 6 is inherently balanced by virtue of the crank design, and any slight imbalance won't be a problem at the RPM turned by a street 261. I have built engines both balanced and not, and can honestly tell no difference in smoothness or power. Of course it won't hurt anything, and if it gives you a little peace of mind (especially after hammering a rod) then go for it. But if the budget is tight, having the crank balanced would be the first thing I would forego.
