Setback...
Managed some time to work on the car trying to finish getting it ready for the paint shop. Got everything loosely bolted in place. The hood alignment was wacked and the formerly new custom 1 of 2 hood is likley done for as I noticed cracks along where the scoop was fabbed on.
Took some measurements diagonally after the hood was off and it appears the front end is twisted about 1" diagonally towards the passenger side. That probably means it's going to take some jacking at a body shop to get everything back in alignment.
I'll probably tidy everything up in the next couple weeks or so with the old hood and take it to a local shop and have the engine pulled in preparation for the new motor. Then hopefully it will be trailered off to a body shop for the 1/4 panel surgery, front panel alignment, LSC mouldings/bumper covers and paint.
Meanwhile the old motor will go to Fox Lake and the top end and accessories will go on the new shortblock being built. Once that's done the body work should be complete and the car will be ready to receive the fresh motor for break-in and tuning.
That's the plan for now anyways.