Hole in Timing Cover!!!!
 

A little history first. My car had a timing chain go about a year ago. Ended up pulling the motor and having a forged 355 built with all the goodies.

Today, I am hitting an on ramp. Car is still mildly cold. I'm about 2.5k rpms. Next thing I know I'm getting towed home. I look under and there is a giant hole in my timing cover. I reach in an feel the timing gear in the crank area. It has only one tooth. The chain is also snapped.

First off, should a chain only last 14 monthes/13,000 miles?
Could this have ruined my forged bottom end?
How hard of a home job is it to put new timing gears/chain in and clean the oil pan?
I know it's possible I bent the vavles.

One last thing. The car had jsut been put up for sale for $8k. Would it be better to fix it or part it out? The rest of the car is perfect. It is a 6speed.

Right now I am so pissed at Lt1's. I'd like to just take a mad piss on mine after all the headaches.

Fix it. Double roller. Stock chains have too much slack IMO for a high-compression motor, or anything with any more power then stock.

Do you think the vavles would have gotten bent?

Cant know anything for sure until you tear it down, but i would guess things in the motor arent too pretty. :(