Will I need to re-ring my pistons?

Yep, engine is original to the car. I agree, heads off, halfway home. It's getting pulled and torn down. No sense in doing all that work to find problems somewhere else. Not really what I wanted to hear, but it makes the most sense. Thanks for chiming in. How's that Valiant coming along?

It's slow. We both got sick right on top of Christmas and are both just now gettin over it. Plus I have this new job I found. I'm kinda at a standstill until the weather warms back up and I can get the headliner in and then get the front and back glass in. THEN I can start driving it some more. I do have a few things at the machine shop coming along, too.