For what its worth, when I started racing my Fairmont in 1988, I was using the same 390 that I had previously used in my 64 Falcon.It used a .030 over D4/105 pickup truck block, stock 390 crank, main studs, a set of new in the box LeMans capscrew connecting rods with SPS bolts. At that time, the Fairmont weighed 3200 lbs with driver, and had a C6 transmission with a 4500 stall convertor (no trans brake at that time)
Footbraking the car at the track, it ran a best of 11.42@119mph, but after a while I decided to try some nitrous on it.After starting out at 125HP jets, I switched to 175 MP jetting. The car picked up a bunch, best of 10.28ET at 132 MPH, but at Bremerton Raceway in 1989, approaching the finish line, there was a load bang, strong vibration, and I was sliding around in my own oil and water at 130 NPH. After I tore the engine down, I was suprised to find the main webbing between the cam and crank had torn out, and most was laying in the oil pan, and the crankshaft had broken into 5 pieces. Although several were badly bent, none of the LeMans rods broke. There were some photos of the carnage of the FE Forum years ago, some may recall seeing them. With such destruction, it was impossible to determine if the block or crank let go first, causing a chain reaction. I have never ran any "power adder" stuff ever since. Also, I would have to think that a longer than stock stroke would tend to load the block more than the stock crank I was using.
Subsequent 428 blocks have shown signs of main cap fretting, and one split the main webbing between the cam and crank at #2 & 4bulkheads, using a stock 428 crank.
I have been running the 427 block/428 crank in the Fairmont the past few years, but if I decide to build another 428 block for the car, I will have it crossbolted. Personally, since the girdles are located by the main cap and oil pan bolts, I can`t really see how a girdle would be of much help. Its not as if the oil pan bolt holes are a snug, precise fit.
