I was just looking through an old RC book, where Russ and them used stock rods that were heat-treated and shot-peened. That was their high performance connecting rod. Then they also had the super high performance rod. Basically, it was the same rod, except it had heavy-duty rod bolts: 11/32 inch. Automotive bolts are what they used. They claim that they were four times stronger than standard units, and recommended them for any serious racing. Their high performance rods were recommended for anything over 836. So, with some of the new rods we have today, I'd say it's a pretty good bet that you can get a good aftermarket steel rod.