Interesting!
One technical point - you mention 7/16" and 1/2" bolts. I believe
you are referring to 1/4" bolts, which normally have 7/16" hex heads,
and 5/16" bolts, which normally have 1/2" hex heads.
Real 7/16" bolts are those that hold your bellhousing and starter in place
and have either 5/8" heads or maybe 11/16" hex on their nuts or headbolts.
1/2" bolts are used on your maincaps and use a 3/4" hex.
This distinction may not seem important but when you go to buy bolts you
will have to have both the diameter of the bolt and perhaps also the number
of threads/inch, or at least know whether they are fine (UNF) or coarse (UNC).

BTW Metric bolts are also sized by the diameter of the round part, not the hex.

In the old days bolt head sizes and wrench sizes were not as standard as they
are now. That's why you find wrench sizes like 19/32" and such in junk sales
and flea markets. BTW 19/32" is mighty close to 15mm.
--
George Downs, The "original" Walrus3, Bartlesville, Oklahoma