Opinions please

This is when things went south. ..." I also let him know that I have purchased a few parts planning on a future 396 build and that put me even more into it than the labor that we both agreed to trade the engine itself for. He got mad and hung up."... In his mind your motive was to "score" a good catch of an engine, regardless of the fact it's a pile. The interest you expressed in keeping it, leaves him thinking you're trying to pull one on him. This one you're going to be cutting loose, and the right one will come along that's meant for you.