Independent rear suspensions don’t produce the anti-squat that solid axles can produce, so forward bite has to be achieved by other means. Personally, I want as much rear percentage as I can get and there’s really only two ways of achieving that. The way I chose is to use the lightest engine available that will make the HP I can use. Since 1999 I’ve run 430+ cid all-aluminum small blocks and get 57%-59% rear depending on fuel load. A Dart Iron Eagle tall deck block would be a few percent less rear and a BB would probably be close to 50%-50% in my car. Yes, the iron block versions of my engines would probably make a little more power, but I’m already at the limit of what I can hook up with 59% rear. Because I’m more about percentages than overall weight, the weight I save with the aluminum block allows me to run that boat anchor T-56 6 spd that I know you’re so fond of Brent
. Oh, and the other way to get the rear percentage I want would be to hang a bunch of lead on the back of the car. But, since these things are challenging enough to drive already I would not want to deal with the effect that would have on the polar moment of inertia.