What's the appeal of an aluminum engine block?

[olddog]

I think I have found the reason that Brent needs to consider. If he starts a trend and all engine builders finally say enough with the aluminum FE crap I quit, this will be a disaster.

First disclosure:
I would love to have an all aluminum 482 FE in a Kirkham. In fact I would trade being able to sleep with any super model I wanted every night the rest of my life, for one. Truth is I cannot afford either. After some reflection: I couldn't handle either of them, but I can dream.

2nd disclosure:
I set a bottle of beer at each chair at my dinning room table. Then I took turns changing chairs and arguing for which engine I would put in a Cobra. At one chair a 427 SO. Another was for a Stroked Windsor. I especially enjoyed the 428 Clevor chair. You get the picture. I ended up crawling to bed and never did come to a consensus.

But here is the reason the aluminum FE must live on at all costs. In every FE verse a small block argument thread, when the small block proponents point out the superior handling on paper that their lighter engine wins hands down, the FE boys always come back with "I can build and aluminum FE that is lighter than your puny small block." If the aluminum FE becomes extinct, some one may actually win one of these useless pi$$ing matches ending the entertainment for ever.