Alright, I trust both of you so I'm going to pick up some 1/4" plate this morning from Alro!

Minor updates, Jim is working on the engine build now and the block is getting machined. I also ordered all of the trans parts, and to my surprise almost everything was available and is here already. Picked up the Griner/727 specialist trans brake LBA RMVB, steel front planetary, rebuild parts, a lightened A&A steel drum (I was waffling between the aluminum and steel, but went steel after finding out the lightened billet steel one was available), and then also picked up a pump gear with the wider ears plus the 300M input and output shafts from Andrews. None of those last 3 were really needed for a mild 540 but I also wanted to protect for worst case if the plate nitrous kit ever turns into a 400 hp fogger, or I procharge it in a few years. I found out Dakota Digital makes a mechanical speedo cable drive so that sealed the decision on the output shaft.

Only bummer so far is there aren't any CSR shields available so I might end up with a blanket instead. I talked to A&A on the phone and they've had 400 of them on order for years with no promise date. They've also sent 2 of their personal carbon shields to local carbon guys and are going to attempt to make them themselves, but he had no promise date on when their CF shield would be available.