Reply to "Reinforcing with "Hard Block""

> For the money invested in grout fill

Grout fill is very cheap compared to a race block. Some people like to
build as cheaply as possible so that when something fails, less expensive
parts get damaged. Others like to build with the best components available
to lessen their chance of failure but when something does go wrong more
expensive parts gets damaged. You pay your money and you take your chances.

> would rather get an aftermarket 9.2" deck Windsor block, TFS cleveland heads,
> and a TFS "clevor" intake...

The TFS Clevor intake is for a 9.5" deck block, not 9.2" deck.

> In the realm of street-driven engines, the new Ford Racing Boss 351 block
> with cross-drilled water coolant passages would be my first choice...

Despite the name, the Ford Racing Boss 351 is a Windsor block, not a
Cleveland.

> Correct me if I m wrong, but my understanding is "Block filler was
> designed & intended for Drag racing use only. Specifically for Methanol,
> (Alcohol) burning engines.

The guys running full fills run on methanol. The street guys run a half
height fill.

> A street engine has cylinder cooling passages for good reason.

Combustion heat is primarily retained in the combustion chamber.
You'll find many modern V8s have shortened water jackets as do
some older V8s. Half filling the bottom of the block doesn't seem
to impact coolant temperature to any great degree. However, oil
temperatures tend to go up so an oil cooler would be worth considering.

Dan Jones