It would be a shame to waste all the time and work cuz a rod let go and window'd the block!!! Never have ran a Hawk's rod, can't say that I've heard much good or bad about them....but then I'm one of them fools who spend the extra and go with Carillo's, Crower, or similar US made rod.... Lots of folks on here use the low buck imported rods with great results, I know Pat has used them in some big horse engines with no problems.