Rat Manure!

[Don Jacks]

I would,in the interest of saving money,leave it the heck alone! As wristpin said,remove a bunch of weight,you'll have to spend money on a re-balance of the rotating assembly.Removing weight,especially from the wrong areas,will make the piston weaker.Rarely does a piston fail that it doesn't take the block with it.Not a plan when dealing with these blocks as they are getting harder and more expensive to find.

 

[RussC]

I would,in the interest of saving money,leave it the heck alone! As wristpin said,remove a bunch of weight,you'll have to spend money on a re-balance of the rotating assembly.Removing weight,especially from the wrong areas,will make the piston weaker.Rarely does a piston fail that it doesn't take the block with it.Not a plan when dealing with these blocks as they are getting harder and more expensive to find.

VERY GOOD ADVICE!!!

 

[boxerdog]

Why would it rattle? Holes will be 1/4" deep.

Sorry, the rattling wouldn't come from drilling the pin bosses, more likely from cutting off the skirts on an already top-heavy piston. But I was trying to be encouraging. I think you can make it work. I just think it is possible to over do it.

 

[409ina50buick]

I look at it as "attention to detail". I have the time and the equipment to do the job, and at 1035gms, the pistons are just too heavy. I won't be lightening the pins or rods.

What balance factor do you favor?

 

[wristpin]

I'd defer to the experts here in relation to these 348/409 engines. In a BBM engine i went with 75% and it was as smooth as a babies ass.

 

[nomad59NZ]

Originally, Bill Rogers (Rogers Machine Shop, CC, Tx) and I had a goal of 6000rpm max because of using the original rods. We figured that short stroke and big over-bore would wind like a bat from hell. I was a street racer back in those days. I had a '68 Vette with a 383ci internally balanced engine that was the cat's meow. I was going to replace the 383ci with the now 424ci 409 engine. I got married instead. Street racing was out. Now she is gone with most of my money, all of my dignity, and my darned horse. She was a real looker, with a $15,000 set of rebuilt hooters, but mean as hell. Now, I can do what I want. Now I just want to spin the tires again, and sit and smell the smoke.

View attachment 62083

So Jim, I'm late coming in to this conversation and entire thread, but may i say DAMN, that is one good looking pool and well maintain by the looks of it and i bet the shrubbery was well manicured.
All the best for the build.

Gav