[DavidBoren]

Relating back to what Hunter Thompson said about big guns and fast cars... These sorts of machines are not intended for the careless.

I am sure that the LS7 blocks hold up fine... All 30 of yours seem to be working. But I am my father's son. And we have a tendency to over-engineer things. We choose our mechanicals based on its ability to survive the apocalypse.

We aren't afraid of maintenance, nor do we shy away from or skimp on routine maintenance. But we prefer machines that can persevere and last. I understand that the parts you select will be a huge factor in long-term reliability, with the single biggest contribution to durability being the quality of prep and assembly.

Because we all know that if it's sloppily put together with poor tolerances, then even the best parts will not be reliable. And likewise, if you take your time and blueprint/ balance even mediocre components and assemble them to the proper tolerances, then you will have a damn dependable motor.

My grandpa won't ever own a motor with an aluminum block. He doesn't trust it. He also won't own a rifle he doesn't trust to work as a club, either. Ask him what he thinks about the M-16, or import cars for that matter (he views both with equal disdain). Lol.

Anyways, for my particular tastes and needs, I want an engine I can rely on and put some real miles through. And I don't need 7.0L for what I'm doing. If an undersquare 359" doesn't do what I expect/ want/ need, I will boost it (like everyone else who doesn't know how to make horsepower like a real man... another piece of wisdom from my grandpa).

As for the reliability issues associated with undersquare architecture, I think I can handle the increased heat load with a more efficient cooling system (larger radiator/ fan, oil cooler and oil squirters, etc). And high quality parts with a damn proper fit and balance should handle everything else.