426 stroker, is it reliable?

My car is still at the paint shop so I haven't had a chance to drive it this year yet but so far since I installed it in 2011 I have about 8500 miles on it and it runs just as good as it did when I built it. Every spring I do a valve lash and a compression test on it and so far it has not dropped any compression at all. I run the snot out it too when I can get away with it so it ain't always babied except when the Mrs is with me as it scares her when it slides. Traction is an issue but my recent complete build of the rear suspension and adding cal-tracs should held a lot. should be solidly in the 11's now. And that's with 3.23 gears and 28" tall tires.

I realize this doesn't apply to the OP's question concerning a 426 stroker but I've seen all these negative statements about strokers sucking and such I thought I'd add my personal experience with my stroker which btw is pretty mild. Actually a little milder than the 360 I took out. Gets better fuel mileage too (have gotten as much as 17.2 down the hwy but averages 14 all around) and the 360 didn't like the 3.23 gears and 28" tires much on take off where-as the 408 still has the power to smoke them with ease in 1st and 2nd gear any time I want

As for why someone would want to stroke a small block. i look at is this way. I can change the plugs in 5 minutes without even letting the engine cool down (try that on a big block). And a big block, unless all aluminum is a lot of weight hanging over the front wheels. An A-body with a big block is generally a handling turd and no fun to work on