Weak early 850 cases

So has anyone else heard something to the effect that early 850 lower case halfs were weak? In the 70's I lost the left side from the bearing to the seam with a hairline crack. I started the bike and saw a fine mist of oil. This after only removing and replacing the head. Go figure. Somewhere/sometime I was told that the later cases had more "webbing" to the inside. Just wondering. Bums me out as I lost my matching numbers....

After finding a set of 71 cases badly cracked in a star pattern on the drive side bearing housing I was told that they were some of the best when it came to mass under the jugs and that the later "stronger" 73 cases got weaker under the jugs. They all can get the weak spot on the back of the cases near the case joint. Hope you saved your old case.

Nah. Tried to have it welded but there was too much slag. In my drug induced state it didn't occur to me to save them. Have the original bill of sale for solice.

Yea it took until the 90's before we realized that the choices made in the 70's were not all right.......

Scarey, isn't it.....