89 EC25 3pg rebuild questions

[Bikertrash00]

Hello everybody! I am a noob to the forum and gas carts but work on Harley's, Hot Rods etc, have not done a 2 stroke since high school. I actually have an electric marathon that I have owned for 10yrs and as it became time to change the batteries again I thought I would start looking for a beater gas marathon and swap all the good parts off my electric. Found the 89 I am now working on, did not run when purchase and only had 80lbs compression, owner claimed he did the top end about 5yrs ago.

I pulled the engine and top end, it did have STD piston with scratches on it and the cylinder, checked the rod bearings with no up and down movement but the wrist pin and needle bearing seemed loose in the rod, being the crank bearing feels good and low budget I do not want to split the cases, do you think it is just the pin and needle bearings?

Took the cylinder and head to my buddy at the local speed shop for machining, should I play it safe and just take .025 off the head?

Taking the muffler to another friend for welding, should I create extra work and price by having him put a larger tailpipe on....maybe double the diameter.

Thanks, Scott