I'm considering a build using a 4.375 RPM crank. RPM recommends using a 6.8 BBC rod. My concern is with the 6.8 rod that the wrist pin will intersect the oil ring groove. I don't want to deal with that scenario if possible. Anybody ever try this combo before?
 I've read about several builds recently where a 6.7 BBC rod was used with the 4.375 crank. My question is did the crank have to be turned down so the bottom of the piston would clear the counterweights?
A blueprint of the crank would be really handy right now.

Since I've been so hung up on calculating DCR's lately, I went through your book and calculated your dyno mules. I had to make a few assumptions but I think I'm close. Most came in close to 8, +/- .2. Except for the 427 sideoiler, it was around 7.12. What did I miss?

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/pts/3570083798.html

For the first time in my life I wish I lived a little closer to Cali. 

I was kicking thru the graphs in the dyno section and found one where Jay built a 492 with a modified Blue Thunder dual plane intake with a removable divider. The HP gain was notable.
Question for Jay: Can you post the associated graph showing the torque curves?
Question for everybody: Has this mod ever been tried with a Performer RPM with a smaller FE on a dyno?

Just wrapped up mud racing last weekend. I did 5 different races this year and took 2nd place 4 times! I'm sick and tired of that for sure. Especially when its stroked small block chebbies that are doing all the winning!!
The 390 I've been racing has been a reliable overachiever and will be tamed down a bit and used in a 77 highboy.
So I'm getting started on a 445 for my 72 F250. This is the truck my dad bought in 1978 or so.
The heads are C4AE 6090G castings.
Each head had several broken bolts in the upper exhaust flanges. After sacrificing many 7/16 nuts and a 3/8 tap, I was able to get the flanges in working order. Two studs had to be drilled out. The tap was cut short and threaded in from the back side of the flanges after drilling since good threads were there.


Edit- still trying to post nice pics without doing the attachment deal.
Editx2- Figured out the photobucket website.

I've found a couple of 390s on craigslist and I'm going to buy one of them. I've already checked them out. One is 4.050, I think it's a 105 casting. Seems like a good starting point for a stroker. But the guy has a couple of sets of heads to choose from. Should I grab the C8AE's or the D2TE's. I'll sit and grind for hours on the best set if I can't find some suitable CJ castings. Which ones flow better? Which ones would be the better head for a set of CJ valves?