I appreciate all the input, differing opinions, and suggestions. Like I said, it's a first build...sort of a science project for my own enjoyment. I had some Christmas money from my wife so I ordered a dial bore gauge, a 100 ml burette (1 ml = 1 cc, sometimes metric makes a little sense), a stand for it, a plexiglass CC plate, and a set of cylinder head stands. I plan to strip the engine down to the block, start taking and recording some measurements, and I'll cc the heads. I spoke to my local auto machine shop and he said they can hot tank the block and heads, check the block and crank, bore it if necessary, and help me out with what I need to order for about $500.00. I'm sure if I need anything done to the heads, such as hardened valve seats or cut for bigger intake valves, that will be extra. I plan to use the existing cast crank with new bearings if everything checks out, put new pistons in it (KB or Sealed Power Hypereutectic), and use the stock rods, maybe with some upgraded rod bolts. I'm not sure about the cam yet, I'd like something with a somewhat lumpy idle. The intent is to use some headers I have and a full dual exhaust. I'll dial a lot of this stuff in with my local machine shop, they do a lot of performance engines and a lot of Mopar stuff. For the heads, I also got a porting abrasive kit to knock off some of the casting flash and maybe check out some YouTube videos on some very basic porting. I was also considering some stainless intake and exhaust valves. I hope to end up in the 9.0 to 9.5:1 compression ratio. I will probably also look at gasket matching the intake just because it's an intake I already have and may look at upgrading in the future so I figured it would be fun to play with this one a little bit.
Someone asked about auto/manual trans, rear end, gears, tire size, etc... I don't know about much of that yet. I picked up an A833 4-speed out of a '69 340 Dart and found a good bellhousing to go with it. I need a bunch more parts for the 4-speed conversion. I have a line on an 8-3/4 A-body rear end but haven't got it yet. If I can get my hands on that, it's an open rear but a friend has a sure grip with 3.55 gears he said he would sell me. My Dart is a 318 / 904 Torqueflite auto with a 7.25 rear end. My original plan was to reuse all of that until the 4-speed kind of fell in my lap and I found the 360 core. Then everything changed. Wheels and tire size seem like a way off decision at this point but I've always been a fan of regular old Cragar S/S rims, old school. Tire size will depend on what I can cram in the rear wheel wells. Fronts will be a bit skinnier. I like the original MM1 Bronze paint and may even put the black vinyl roof back on it, that could go either way.
For now, though, it's all about some rust repair and an engine/trans rebuild and swap. I hope it can look as good as some I've seen in this forum but I really just want a good, fun driver.
Any additional comments and suggestions are always appreciated. Once I get rolling, I'll start a new thread and upload some pictures as I go, maybe some of you can warn me before I screw something up.