Actually, a lot of people are down for a year or more doing things. In my case, it could have been done MUCH faster but it was not really a priority for me.
Timeline:
Jan - stop driving car as it has low compression Mar - Damon & I pull engine to check it out. Discover score marks in #5 cylinder. Engine sits on stand in garage. Jun - Send engine to builder before going off to Europe Jul - Europe Aug - waiting around on some pistons and other misc. parts Oct - Engine done at builder Nov - picked engine up Dec - put engine back together Jan? - drop back in car and hit the road again