Filling a block does not strengthen the weak areas. ALL it does is help with bore distortion when you get the bores bigger than they really need to be, given the thickness of surrounding metal.

Now, not being a small block expert, I really don't know what is considered the weak area of a stock block. Is it weak in the mains, are the bores thin, is it the caps? Someone who knows more than me would have to answer that. Whatever is perceived as the weak area needs to be where your focus is. Pouring it just to pour it won't help if cylinders are not thin

Listen to your machinist I use to help Gene Buhl, NHRA E/SA record holder and C/SA record holder , once he went to non filled early(pre 1971) blocks the motors set records I built several NHRA stock legal 340 motors for Steve and Linda Myers in the 1990s, one motor they had a new motor with a R1 block, their old motor was built originaly with the block 3/4 filled, the new block wasn't. Both blocks where bored to 4.080 and the unfilled block made 10 HP more on the DTS engine dyno at the same RPMs than the filled block did with the same cam degreed the same, intake and carb. on both
I did discover that the filled block would have two different temp. zones in it, above the cement would read 120 to 140F when warmed up to what they normally had before a run and the block, after several pulls on the dyno, would read 180+ F at the filled line and below with a infra red temp. gun

Hey John, Could you tell what's weight of your Duster?

2750-2800 right now. Used to be under 2600 when my Son was driving. He a skinny son of a gun but I also added steel doors, alternator, racepak and all the needed sensors, and a few other things to make it more race Friendly. Its my old-man car.

You should consider a Hellcat...

PURE COMEDY!!!


I wish mine was 2800lbs

Aint nothing but a thing to MAKE it 2800 or less..........LOL!!!

I'm pricing out a stock one with a polished blower and nitrous tonight trouble maker. Lol. Don't get these guys roughed up again Ted

I wish it was that easy, as it sits with 5 gallons of fuel and a full 10lb bottlet and me I'm 3320. Narrower rear end should lose some weight. Thinking about a glass hood and bumpers but idk

If I had a different Challenger I would like a Scat Pack. Take it easy,Slow Ride!!

This is a good read here.

It seems maybe two or so who have posted on this could actually benefit from a race block.

If you look at the big picture of the trickle down effect on the wallet after getting out of a oem block and its power level its almost better for most to find a oem based combo that works.

Many of us take an oem block and want to push it with our eagle cranks, then some think an eagle crank will live in a 800hp plus setting, but nearly every race block ive asked about that needed sleeved many needed more then one and had a cheap off shore crank that was used.

How many have actually bought a race block then sprung for the proper high end crank? Few do.

So then what, is a glide or dana in the budget?

If one is bracket racing is it worth an added 5k in the block or crank area to chase a light?

Im getting ready to build a jinky 318 hydro camed motor for a bracket car
because thats all it needs.

Most who want a better block are day dreaming in the wallet dept, put a new R3 up for sale at cost and add 2.5% for each year of having the money tied up and no one will inquire.

List one at 50% or less of new, like flies on raw meat. Thanks mopar friend.

Currently its a hard choice to build a older car to go fast, for so many years mopar guys had to because the current offerings sucked, now in the big picture a hellcat dont look too bad.

So now im gonna build this jinky 318, ive not touched one since I was in my teens but it should be fun and cheap and cause no worries.

On the hard block, yes it does seem to help the lower bores but as pointed out the temp difference is big but can be worked around. I run a short fill in one unit but dang does that block clink and clank when cooling down.

So even if all oem blocks could take 800hp, how many are willing or could afford to step up on the trans and rear diff front? Or for that matter make the jump to quicker then 10.0 racing with all the fun rules and costs.

Old car with new hemi... problem solved

I haven't raced a car that FAT since I made a pass in my 1972 Cutlass Supreme back in the early 80's

The thing is...it IS just that easy. I didn't say free or even cheap, but it IS easy. I am not picking on you here, but seriously, how do you even MAKE a small block A-body that is supposed to be a race car THAT heavy.

I have mentioned this several times, but my GTX, with an iron Mega-block with alum heads, me and two nitrous bottles was 3200 ready to race and I had to add some ballast to get there. No gutted race car either. All factory floor pans with steel tubs and full factory rails. 12 point cage. Ladder bar coilover rear, coilovers on the front with a rack. All steel except for hood, chrome bumpers, all factory glass and even had a back seat. I was likely 180 when I last raced that car, so that means the car was basically 3000 ready to race with a bit of ballast. So the weights that guys say their cars are simply blows my mind. Not sure how you even make something that is supposed to be a race car as heavy as some claim

I take no offense Monte. Honestly it's an all steel car, still full interior with heavy stock parts. It's a 74 with crash bars in the door, I never intended for it to be a race car or even this fast.... and I'm 6'2 260+ so that's not too helpful. The R3 is heavy too, car is actually right around factory 74 weight lol. Idk, probably build another car, not willing to gut out my 1st car

What's a R3 ?

HOW did I miss this ?

LMAO

R3 block... SBM stuff Tony, leave us slow kids alone lmao

Thought you had a stock block....lol

I do, has a chrysler part number. Ask anyone I got a race off with this year