[Eljaro]

Everything was going fine after the engine rebuilt (new rings, new cylinder wall finishing, new valves, new con rod bearings), but after several hours of driving the new engine a strange sound came form it. I inmediately stopped it, had the car hauled back home and there I removed the oilpan. I did see some metalic residues, copper like, and after hitting the con rod caps with a soft hammer one of them, cylinder #1 sounded hollow. I removed the cap and the bearing was all worn and had even spinned. The con rod cap is deformed also.
I will have to remove the engine, take out the crankshaft and have at least that one bearing surface reground, if the rest is okay.
I will have to replace #1 rod also.
My question: is it possible to take the #1 piston out from the bottom of the cylinder in order to take out the rod? Is there space for it to come out, at least to be able to get the circlip out and push the wrist pin aside ?
I want to save myself the work of removing the head and would first like to know if this is possible.