Haven't used one, not sure how common they are for SBC's. Don't recall any discussions about them on this site. They seem more common for some of the Ford stuff. I think you need to use studs with them though which will require a line hone. Mine is a 2 bolt I just studded the block and had it line honed. Figured I should be fine for 400/450 HP.
My experience was that the girdle doesn’t increase any clamping force on the mains and doesn’t really increase stability like a girdle in a Y block where the girdle is fastened into the pan rails. If you have to change fasteners then I would align hone the block and put studs in.
A forum community dedicated to all Chevy Nova, Chevy II, Acadian owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!