[Huskinhano]

The best thing to do is to read MM&FF or 5.0 magazine to get better aqauinted with the 5.0. Ford says the stock 5.0 block is good for about 450 hp, the mags say about 600 hp. If you get a 5.0 with fordged pistons, they'll hold up resonably well. Heck a lot of them run in the 10's and a few in the 9's with a completely stock bottom end....but for how long?

My brother use to know the 5.0 racer, Graig Radovich. Graig told my brother that he was running a stock block with a big supercharger in the 9's. He blew a head gasket and replaced it. He raced the factory shortblock for the rest of the season. During the winter, when he pulled the motor to freshen it up, he found that he'd actually hydrauliced the engine and bent a rod, but the engine lasted the rest of the season!

The stock blocks when they fail, start to give warnings by loss of oil pressure. The blocks have a habbit of cracking longitudely, quite litterally splitting in half along the crank and cam centerlines.

The improvements to these blocks are girdles and good fasteners.

 

[geegee]

Piston Primer:

Cast - Common pistons found in most cars. Characteristics are exellent thermal expansion characteristics. This means they are round to start with and stay round as the engine heats up. Engine can be assembled closely with expectation of long engine life for normal duty.

Hyperutectic - Specially cast high grade pistons with higher strength for medium duty hi-performance street applications. Characteristics are good thermal expansion and engine can also be assembled fairly tightly for longer life.

Forged - Highest strength pistons for heavy duty service and racing. Thermal expansion characteristics at skirt are uneven and if assembled tight, scraping and galling of the skirt occurs at high engine temperatures and pressures. For this reason, the engine assembly tolerances are greater giving shorter life expectancy.

 

[TheShagg]

its a forged 88 mass air HO motor

 

[GypsyR]

For you needs it'd be hard to beat Tom Monroe's "How to rebuild a small block Ford". It was printed before the 5.0's really came in, so it doesn't really cover roller cams. Of course you know a 5.0 is just a slightly more modern 302. Which is a slightly upgraded 289, Which is... yadda yadda.
The book applies and is written as specifically as possible to help a newbie through. I've put together quite a few engines and still keep Tom's book handy. It will walk you through every step. Buy a copy, seriously.