I have machined plenty of 216 rods for insert bearings, which makes them better than new. It's not a difficult process, and nobody can tell it's been done without a teardown including removing the rod caps. Don't bash an engine just because technology has replaced the conventional fix of installing rebabbited rods with a better procedure.
When I was learning this trade, every machine shop, and most parts stores stocked reconditioned Babbit rods, in the appropriate undersizes. As the engines got more scarce, the rework procedures and equipment got scrapped in favor of more profitable business. A few years ago, Federal-Mogul tooled up and produced insert bearings that only require melting the Babbit metal out and resizing of the rod big end by a few thousdandths. Then you have the option of installing the correct undersize bearing without messing with repouring bearing material into the rod. Quick, easy, and accurate! Send me your rods, and I'll bore/size them.
Jerry
