Stovebolt.com Forums The Side Lot The North Eastern 'Bolters '52 panel pickle

well I figured I would come back to say hello and see if I could find some insight on the pickle I am in. I was here in 2017, and since then my beoved stovebolt ( 1952 3100 panel with a 1958 235 I-6 engine) has cultivated a love / hate relationship with me. a couple years ago it spun a crank shaft bearing . and I have been stumped on getting it fixed. I have figured out I am going to have to fix it .. but what way do I go . its stored 2.5 hours away from where I live ,as I live in an apartment and can't work on it here. so that in it self is another problem.. the 235 engine that some one put in it has had a bad life . it has modern bearings but some one used shim stock to give space to the bearing inserts . and blue silicone to seal up the oil pan instead of a proper gasket.... crappy work if you ask me . I learned from the plastic guage measuring procedure that at least one of my crank journals are over the limit and the others are under the limit but didffent sizes. so I am wondering if I have a boat anchor instead of a useable engine. I am wondering if the machine shop expences would be more than worth it to get this engine right assuming it is good enough to work with in the first place. I am also wondering if it would be better to lean toward a 292 I-6 or small block V-8 swap ? part of me wants the head ache gone and part of me doesn't want to sell it. have any of you been in a simular delema and/or can offer insight?

How did it run prior to it spinning a bearing. Did it use oil/smoke, did you have to keep topping it off with water, was it losing power before hand?
My answer would be to rebuild the engine you have. Once you start modifying there is no end in sight. Since its already a full pressure engine with inserts (bearings) the engine rebuilt should last you a life time. If it ran good before hand, and compression was good, a mechanic may be able to do the crank/bearing stuff from the bottom rather than completely tear it down.
I'd do a little research in town and ask questions pertaining to a good mechanic and then get some estimates.

thankyou Achipmunk. it ran good before the failure. I must take some blame as I most likely tried to make the old thing go faster than it was made to handle. I was pushing it between 55 and 60 . I hear you on what you said on rebuilding what I have . however if I go that route it will be the same and not able to go modern highway speeds ( 65 mph) I got a friend that has a 350 engine along with a transmission , and blazer frame and axles , I'm thinking I'm gonna make my panel a 350 4x4 automatic.