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Bored&Stroked · 11-01-2024, 08:26 PM

Hey Hank: There is a LOT that you can do with Henry's stuff - up to a point. You can stroke a 4" crank to 4 1/8" - past that it would be a "welded stroker". This isn't too popular these days, but there were lots of folks doing it "back in the day". My friend Joe Reath did a lot of them, Speed-O-Motive, etc.. Very few folks could afford a custom billet crankshaft - then or now, so there is only so far you can go with Henry's parts.

Connecting Rods: Same deal --> you can only go so far with 21A rods before they become a weak link. Also, the softer 'Cadmium-Silver' full-floater rod bearings are really tough to find today - so it is rougher than ever to build a stroker like we used to.

Cost: By the time you buy a NOS set of 21A rods, have them shot-peened and prepped and find the right bearings, you're over the price of an H-beam rod set (which are a lot stronger) . . . so pick your poison.

Even back in the 50's there were guys making custom connecting rods. Today, the typical "H-Beam" rods that SCAT and EAGLE sell are pretty dang good up to probably 400 HP or so. Beyond that, you're probably looking at one of the "big boys" like Carillo, Crower, etc..

For unblown street applications, you can go a long way with Henry's parts -- when you get to all-out competition it is the same as it was 70 years ago ---> how much money do you have and how fast do you think you want to go!

11-01-2024, 08:26 PM	#45
Bored&Stroked Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 5,910	Re: 8BA stroker kit Hey Hank: There is a LOT that you can do with Henry's stuff - up to a point. You can stroke a 4" crank to 4 1/8" - past that it would be a "welded stroker". This isn't too popular these days, but there were lots of folks doing it "back in the day". My friend Joe Reath did a lot of them, Speed-O-Motive, etc.. Very few folks could afford a custom billet crankshaft - then or now, so there is only so far you can go with Henry's parts. Connecting Rods: Same deal --> you can only go so far with 21A rods before they become a weak link. Also, the softer 'Cadmium-Silver' full-floater rod bearings are really tough to find today - so it is rougher than ever to build a stroker like we used to. Cost: By the time you buy a NOS set of 21A rods, have them shot-peened and prepped and find the right bearings, you're over the price of an H-beam rod set (which are a lot stronger) . . . so pick your poison. Even back in the 50's there were guys making custom connecting rods. Today, the typical "H-Beam" rods that SCAT and EAGLE sell are pretty dang good up to probably 400 HP or so. Beyond that, you're probably looking at one of the "big boys" like Carillo, Crower, etc.. For unblown street applications, you can go a long way with Henry's parts -- when you get to all-out competition it is the same as it was 70 years ago ---> how much money do you have and how fast do you think you want to go!