Blew Up Last Night !!!! not going to be pretty!!!

[72TealnWhite]

hey all... man i've had my struggles with this thing this summer... and i think it's due to shotty work..

So drivin down the fwy .. just reached cruising speed 65... everything was fine until... i noticed the throttle was touchy.... so i laid off... and eased into the throttle again and i noticed some tapping ... and to think of it now.. it had been slightly tapping on medium acceleration...not loud at all.. and for only like the last week or so.. so i laid off and on deceleration ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE !!! .. literally. felt like i blew a right front.... but it was the motor.. Smoke everywhere.. it was dark so ... it was a few flashes and booms and smoke.. by the time i got over to the shoulder... I thought the truck was on fire... when i finally got it stopped.

So. my theory/diagnosis... I'm no expert.. but i think my whole valvetrain is probably in pieces in the pan. I think the possible initial blast .. was something coming through the pan .. It was definiitely on the pass side where the trouble was.. It's bad news. It was dark. so i couldn't see much but.. a little oil under the pan.. and i got a ride home about to cry in my hands. I'm almost 95% sure its something valve related..

So the story: Bought the truck early spring... The motor was off... so i went thru the basics replacing things ... like fuel filters.. adj. carb.. the regular stuff.. still nothing.. ran like crap.. Long story short.. blew a exhaust manifold.. and took it to get fixed.. Well my dad wanted to do me a favor and he had it cleaned up.. heads refurbished.. they said i had a bad valve seal... and they fixed up the valve train.. i'm assuming ( i know ! broke my first rule of having to know everything..) they replaced seals, pushrods, valves, rockers, ect.. and it still didn't do the trick... It turned out i needed to replace the altnernator and voltage regulator.. ( found that myself>) so wtf? shady work.. But it ran fine after the alternator was replaced until last night..

Got underneath the truck this morning on the fwy before it was taken to the SAME shop..(. because whatever they worked on is on warranty..) and Sure enough... a nickel sized hole right in the oil pan.. i was going to take the valve covers off... to see if its a rod missing but didn't have time...

So now what's this guy (owner) going to say... It's not like he's going to say that "oh yeah thats our fault" here's 4k for a new small block...


I really don't know what's going to happen... but i'm so far into this truck w/ money .. selling is not an option..

I feel like my dog just died...! damn!

what to do?
thanks in advance.. and oh yeah kinda similar to this post.. the problems i've had... nvr. leaked or burned oil tho..http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=324417

Thanks.. im off to lock myself in the basement!

nate sry no pics yet.