Too much endplay question.

It can lock up, just as IQ says. There is a higher chance of that happening in an engine with a ton of endplay, than an engine with endplay in spec that just blows up for another reason. The last car I know that did lock up and stopped the rear tires actually blew at 6500. The block came apart and the crank was in 4 pcs. One section of block blew the front tire off the rim and the car spun at the 1000' mark, wiping the right side of the car along the barrier for 300 ft. It CAN and does happen. It's very violent and dangerous as hell. But not very often, and certainly less often in a stock lower end, low rpm cruiser.