I built three and my experience with them was they were solid performers with huge untapped potential in stock form, but we did uprate the cooling systems simply because the exhaust has a long way to travel before exiting the engine proper into the outlet of choice. The inlet/outlet configuration is not what one would be used to in a later design V8 and there is a lot of opportunity for heat transfer between the case and the exhaust gases.
If that qualifies as "inherently hot runners", I'll give it to you gladly, but the common wisdom on these engines is to size the cooling system properly. The engine is fine; the cooling system in stock form is barely adequate and, if more is expected of it without addressing cooling, it's the fault of the idiot not the machine, in much the same way its foolish to up the power in a car without upping the capacity of power transmission system and suspension appropriately. (Ask me how I learned that life's lesson. GRIN!)
They were a very important engine and are usually listed amongst the 20th century's best. Wiki mentions the inclusion on the Wards list of the ten best in the 20th century as an example (though I admit not agreeing with the inclusion of about half of them. Grin!)
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