The advantage of a steel-backed bearing over simply increasing the thickness of the Babbit should be that the soft bearing material is at a minimum. That, plus the slower surface speed of the smaller diameter journal should allow the modified engine to live at somewhat higher RPM. Add a set of lightweight aluminum pistons, and the old babbit-pounders ought to be able to keep up with traffic for a change! Add the high volume oil pump conversion I'm working on, and things could really get interesting!
Jerry
