How accomplished & serious of a mechanic are you?
Everyone is very supportive, and that's great,
but I will offer another slice of truth and reality.
I know nothing about how hard an engine rebuild is, so I will speak in generalities.
Like you, I would give my left nut to take a shot at doing an engine rebuild. It would be a major life accomplishment.
Many of us can do small repairs, but I could only dream of dropping an engine and rebuilding parts of it. Alone.
I am experienced enough to know I would not dare try that without a hardcore lifetime gearhead psycho mentor in my garage.
Alas, I don't know a single person who could show me, so it's a dream that will never happen for me.
so that is not an option as the car hobby dies a slow suburban home owners association death, and knowledge goes to the grave.
For me, books are practically useless for learning auto mechanics. Maybe these engine books are different.
Half the time you don't even know what you're looking at, if there are even diagrams to begin with.
I have no idea why new owners are always told to buy Wayne's 101 Projects. It was the most superficial automotive repair book I've ever read
Often one crappy photo per repair, if that, it's basically useless unless you already know how to do the repair, and have been there already.
(Bentley's is much better, but YouTube is the best, but there is almost zero for 911 DIY)
Also, when stuff doesn't go as planned, you can use the book to wipe your ass after a Mexican dinner with tequila.
And stuff NEVER goes as planned. Not even the simplest 3 step repair does. That's when you will realize how alone you really are, LOL.
Unless there was a detailed step-by-step video, or your retired dad rebuilds engine for a living, I would not even consider it.
For a simple one or two component repair, we mere mortals take the plunge, and spend the afternoon on a small repair.
But, engine stuff is a whole 'nother ballgame. This is not a brake job, window regulator, fuel pump, or turn signal stalk repair.
Just giving you the flip side of the reality.
There is a significant chance you abort the project part way. Stumped and aborted.
Or screw it up. Or lose parts. Or mix stuff up rendering a useless pile of nothing.
You risk blowing up your engine and trashing it if you do a single thing wrong.
Life gets in the way once the project stalls, and it may never get finished. Ever.
What was supposed to be a lifetime hobby car
now becomes a lifetime pile of parts that your grandkids need to shovel out with a dumpster.
The internet is littered with thousands of examples of decades old aborted projects.
We all know guys in denial with dismantled cars that have not run since the 80s, 90s, and 00's.
And the reason those cars were parked were a lot less serious than an engine rebuild.
It can also sour relations with your garage neighbor as your rebuild becomes a multi-year disaster.
Hell, I know pro shops that have taken 2 years to do a rebuild.
Read this for some time estimates of what it takes professionals
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/937844-friends-engine-has-been-rebuild-shop-2-years-normal.html
Very few people can do this level of major DIY just by reading a book.
These are brilliant talented outliers posting on here, but do recognize them as such.
Hell, I bet most professional mechanics have never even rebuilt an engine.
Or, maybe it's easier than a brake job. What do I know.
Don't get in over your head.