I know of a few bargains if anyone is looking.

There is a 440+ EEI block R5P7 for sale that supposedly needs freshening. I think it can be bought in the low teens.

A guy was telling me they had a few of the 358's in a shop close to my house. I also plan to sell at least one this winter. The other is my old one and I need to see about repair options before putting it together. Everybody and their brother has a set of heads with the XR2 expectations.

I can only tell of my experiences. The XR2 is not cheap after machine work. And they still seam to have some gremlins. The EEi block is aluminum if you are allowed that. $7,500 buys a block that is ready to bolt parts in. The other expense will be the Bryant crank $3,200 ready to bolt in. Maybe a few thousand more than you want to spend, but I have found they work for large displacements. The block is right on with anything else I have priced. The crank may be more than you think you need. It is a pricey piece but a very good one. Maybe someone else would come up with a crank if the blocks caught on. Don't know how long EEi will continue to make them. Just depends on demand.

The 358 is a fun engine for the buck. For those of us who want to set the world on fire the EEi block is a great option IMO. I'm not even making a spark yet, but the parts seem to work really well.

Leon