You don't need it, but if it makes you feel better you can spend hours/days pulling the engine and installing one.
For what its worth, my low 10 second small block doesn't use one...neither did my mid 10 second motor before that...or the 11 second motor before that....or the 13 second motor before that....or the 14 second motor before that........or the 16 second motor before that....or the Fred Flintstones motor before that, lol.
