The fiberglass is all original, even the hood. It was supposedly raced as a high riser back in its early career. No frame off, it's a time capsule, even has the old thin cardboard sun visors.

Current status

I really like the Honda rod bearing idea.

I ran a stock bore 427 with 361 truck crank turned down to chrysler rod journal size in my Thunderbolt clone. We used Bill Miller aluminum 7" rods with dove standard configuration unported Hi-Riser heads and his Hi-Riser tunnel wedge. With a crane .600/.600 256@.050 solid lift cam. It made 550hp at 6500rpm.

Those aluminum rods had been raced up Pikes Peak three times and I put 150 passes on them at the drag strip, never had a moments trouble out of them.