pay attention to block specs, the machine shop will suggest decking the block to make a good surface for the head gasket, as the old gasket will have etched the deck. this is fine, as long as they do it correctly.
My block was decked on a belt sander style machine, had I known this before hand, I would have declined or used a different shop. the result was a 0.015 difference in deck height from front to back, #1 piston was 0.012 above the deck, #4 was even with deck. which made compression uneven front to rear. it ran, and ran pretty well, but it had a slight lope to it ( easy enough to pass of as a cam lope, but a 22RE AFM doesn't like a lopey idle)
Also, if decking the block, send the timing cover with and attached so it gets milled even with the deck, or it will sit proud of the deck and be pushed down when head is torqued, causes oil leak at crank seal over time, and a side load on oil pump ( driven off crank )
Check ALL main cap bolts and holes in block before you take to machine shop, clean threads, then put caps on and snug the bolts. Check them again BEFORE you pay for the machine work when you go to pick it up from the shop. They ran my mains in with an impact and cross threaded on bolt on #3 main. I was mad as hell, but couldn't prove they did it ( it never occurred to check them ) ended up piggy backing 2 heli-coils in the block and replacing the cap bolt. Engine is still running strong 8 years later, so I guess it's viable repair.
check the keyway on the crank snout, make sure it is square and true ( some times the balancer slaps back and forth and wallows out the keyway, makes timing it accurately a pain.)
replace the head bolts with head studs, more accurate and even torque, and it's just cool.
LC Engineering adjustable timing gear to dial in the cam, worth every penny. There may be another manufacturer of this part, I do not know. the ability to degree the cam is worth the cost of the gear, really brings out the best of the cam.
Engine Builder, DOA Racing, and LC Engineering have good cams, take your pick depending on what you want it to do. I've used the LC EFI pro cam and the Engn Builder "crawler" cam, both worked well for the intended application.
the 22R/RE is NOT a torque motor, and does not start really making power until 2000RPM, and falls off at about 5000 rpm. with the right gears and exhaust, you'll have a good combo .
LC Engineering, long tube header, Thorley has a short tube, either will work, 2.25" exhaust tube max, anything larger and you loose what bottom end you do have make a lot of noise in the process.
you are going to hear a hundred different opinions about what you should do what is good, cheap, better, makes the most power, blah blah blah, read all the info you can get a hold of, digest it and then make your decision.
what I did/used may not be what you want.
