I appreciate you guys trying to look out for me. Understand this thing potentially blowing up is not what I lose sleep over, as always theres a chance to build bigger and better. Money spent along the way is like water under the bridge for me (I make enough of it). I'm set on this engine for now just to keep my mind off of the real stress and problems I've been dealing with lately and in the future I'll build something a little more suited for todays performance.
I've seen post elsewhere referencing this style of strap for these old 2 bolt small cube blocks. Yes they might be a band-aid by todays standards but its got to be a step in a better direction rather than doing nothing at all to support the cap. I didn't plan on doing anything to the caps in the first place these just so happened to be in the right place at the right time. Being a small journal I don't believe there are any options as far as girdles and for $35 these to me seemed far less costly than wasting money on a dart block for a small cube engine, splayed caps, or milling the caps for straps. It's previously been line honed, decked and had all the stress risers taken care of so I don't forsee a lot of extra costly machining, atleast nothing out of the ordinary and if something does come up thats when I told the machinist to call me. I'm still waiting for the results from the sonic test and that was step one for me so if that doesnt come back with workable #'s then I'll start over with my foundation.
In all I don't think this will be an ultra high horsepower engine maybe in hp per cube but in net probably not over 600. Somebody has suggested mid 500's but I've never given all of the specs. for someone to run through a program.