Hot Rod Dad,
I don't know what happened to your engine, but I must disagree with you on the head.
It is not uncommon at all for a big ugly cast iron head to warp. If you were to stop in at a automotive machine shop and ask the owner how many heads (iron) he surfaces, I will bet the answer would surprise you.
If you asked him how many 235 blocks he has seen crack, I will bet the answer would surprise you too. It could happen, but diagnosing is based on past experience as well as the here and now.
Good luck with your 292 project, let us know the results of the autopsy.
Stuart
