It really depends on how you are going to use or how many cubes you want.
If you want big cubes, you need to go with the billet crank, as a cast crank offset ground gets really weak when ground smaller. The 292 forged steel truck cranck can be welded up and ground, but the welding increases the chance of breaking greatly.
I broke a forged steel crank at the track, but it had been welded and ofset ground. Ruined ever part of the motor including pulleys, pan, ati balancer, heads, aluminum timing cover, aluminum water pump, and split the block in have down the center. It did last almost a year though.
A 312 crank should work fine if you stay away from Nitrous, blowers and manybe dragstrips. A manual transmision and good slicks may have contribute to breaking parts as well.
For most people and offset 312 crank would last forever, especially with an automatic, until you jump up to the next level of performance or want big cubes.
The weakest part of a Y-Block is the rods, do not ever use stock rods if plan to make any power at all. Mummert has a drop in perfomance rod that is very economical for312's. Much cheaper than destroying an engine every year.
Pat Fleischman
