Pi Swap Disaster!!

So I posted a while ago a couple videos of my 1996 mustang gt start up with 02 gt pi heads on it. Well the 02 gt was rod knocking due to too much oil in it. I just wanted the heads so I bought the entire car for 500 bucks, plus it has all black leather intior, and the black dash is mint!! Well... I never checked out the cam bearing condition before installing the heads, the heads themselves looked mint but... too much oil starved the crank which we knew but it also starved the cams. We’ve noticed a lot of metal in the oil, the oil breaks down in about 2k miles and causes ticking noises. Well the lifters went bad on the passenger side so as we were replacing them this is what we noticed

I have a pi 5.4 sohc, I know it’s a sohc, but I picked up this engine and a trans for $200 so not a lot of money invested to get it. The plan is to get the 4.6 to last as long as it can and build the 5.4. Not too crazy, just forged pistons and rods, arp head bolts, stage 2 cams mostly for sound, and all the little things that I’ve learned to replace when rebuilding an engine. Goal is 500 rwhp with a supercharger. Intake will be ford factory with adapters. It’s just the easy cheapest hp route. I would rebuild the 4.6 but it is just done. It’s too clapped out at this point now, so much metal has been running through it. So as money and progress comes so will more updates! FYI it’s stupid easy to replace lifters and check the cams... learn from my mistakes.

It’s coming... I can almost hear it... the build is on!! So no to forging!! No to cam swap!! Yes to new lifters, valve guide seals, and that’s about it. Money is real tight and this car needs to get going. Bearings look mint, and cylinder walls looked mint as well so rolling the dice in the bottom end. HP goal is around the low side of 400 with a supercharger. For now just the adapter plates with the stock ford intake. More to post as we go along. Maybe on Saturday we’ll drop the engine in or next Saturday. Next year supercharger goes on or unless we hit the lotto which ever comes first. Some teaser pics

Also the 5.4 gears and chain is so much thicker!! And the guides!! I’m impressed with it so far. But on a quick question, the intake adapter plates, it came with its own gasket, but I have 2 sets of normal ford intake gaskets. I know 1 set for sure goes under the adapter plates to the block, but can I use the other set from intake to adapter plate? I don’t want to use the adapter plates gaskets because it doesn’t line up that well... and the stock gaskets make everything line up so much better. Anyone that has used the 4.6-5.4 intake adapter plates have any input on this? If not I’m gonna try and not use that flat gasket.