The old engines we like to tinker with are the product of early 20th. Century engineering and design practices, and at the time they were on the drawing board, the practice was to over-engineer everything. That's why a stovebolt six engine weighs in at around 700 pounds. It's also why connecting rod and main bearing journals are so big- - - - -there's probably 20 pounds or more forged steel in a stovebolt crankshaft than is really necessary to handle the power these engines are capable of producing. Ditto for connecting rods, pistons, and other components. Of course, the engines were designed to be rebuilt frequently- - - -not the "One and done- - - -maybe it will make it through the warranty" mindset that came around sometime in the 1970s and continues to this day.
Those design features can work to our advantage, however, if we're willing to do a little research and think outside the box where engine parts are concerned. Why go searching for parts that went out of production 50 years ago, when a little detective work can find an "almost right" modern part that will serve the same purpose? It's also possible to put modern, lighter weight parts inside a stovebolt engine block, and get a considerable increase in cubic inches, and still keep the outward appearance of an "original" engine. By reducing the diameter of crankshaft bearing journals, there's also a noticeable reduction in rotational drag, and the less internal friction the engine has, the more power goes out the back end to drive the vehicle. Ditto for piston and connecting rod weight- - - -with a lighter assembly, less energy is consumed by the engine to keep itself running, and that gain is also translated into more usable power to the wheels. The sticking point is finding someone with the equipment and the knowledge to use it, to make those "different" parts work together. I've watched some very talented people make mismatched parts from oddball sources work together for many years, and I know what's possible. Getting laser focused on "stock" parts might be good for a museum curator, but hotrodding these old dinosaurs is a lot more fun!
Jerry
