Ralph and Joe,
Thanks for the help, the conversation and the follow-up to my thread.
An aluminum block will be nice, but I'm disappointed to have broken what was a NOS Ford side-oiler block when I first purchased it in 1993.
I guess if you play too hard with your toys, they will break!!
See you guys later. Peg and I will return to the annual event where plastic cars (mostly plastic, some actually have an alloy body) and high horsepower meet for a rousing weekend!!
David