Everyone ( the customer ) has different needs,wants,expectations and especially budgets . I would love to sell every single customer a new crankshaft,rods and pistons.

That would be a perfect World indeed. The reality is that simply isnt going to happen. When you build enough engines as a business, and not a hobby, you find out you deal with an incredible cross section of " personalities". They have many many different requirements. This is where a builder needs to put himself in the customers shoes as if it was their money and build.

I agree that its always best to use new parts whenever possible. I recently did a 451 with stock crank and stock 400 rods. There was no need for this guy to buy a new aftermarket

crank and h beam rods. He took that money and put it into a set of Edelbrock heads. He wanted a torquey,simple drive it anywhere street car. Thats what he got.

The original poster asked some specific questions obviously so he knew more about how to make 451. Does he need a new crank? I dont know. None of us know his budget or needs at this point.

Good info here, but be careful of simply broadbrushing everyone into the same picture.

Bobby, i do agree on the 4.250 crank motors much of the time. Usually just makes sense, but again, not everyone wants or needs maximum torque and horsepower. What did thoseu 431's go in amd how did they run? What heads and cams?
I like the availability of the 383 blocks for the street/strip guys.