Ford 460 pistons in a Mopar 400 stroker?

Okay, don't snap at me about this as I'm still learning. As a few of your know, I am slowly building a simple 400 stroker with standard 440 crank using the short 400 rods. I am also unemployed and doing this with a zero budget. I've got the crank in okay and have turned my attention to pistons. Hard to afford KB's (though I'd like to), but recently a friend said to just to get some used Ford 460 pistons. I said no way, but then thought about it. The stock 460 piston has a 4.36 bore (and I need to bore my block .020" anyway) and a compression height is about 1.712"...quite close to the KB215's. I don't know the Ford pin size? That may be a problem.

He also said that if I can't find the Ford's, then get some .020" over 400 mopar pistons and cut the tops by .085" Would any of this work? Thanks!

if the 460 pistons have valve reliefs, they will surely be in the wrong place. If you buy 400 pistons and then have to pay a machinist to whack the tops down, i would guess you would have as much money in them as the good pistons would cost.

Neither of those ideas work very well but some people have done motors that way. The low compression 400 pistons in a 451 is an old trick. People used to do that 20 years ago when there weren't 451 pistons on the shelf. It makes a bit of a mess since the 400 pistons are cast and are really heavy.

The Ford piston doesn't really work unless you run a super tiny camshaft since the valve pockets are all wrong for a Mopar.

My advice is that if you don't have any money then just put the project on hold until you have some cash to spare. Watch the for sale ads and maybe you'll get lucky with someone selling some used pistons or an old shortblock.

here ya be http://hotrod.automotive.com/79140/0510-hrdp-454-mopar-crate-engine/index.html

I don't think you'd be saving much money this way. A set of stock cast pistons for a 460 I would assume are not much less a set of KB's. Even if they are, the Ford pistons have a 1.04 pin, the KB stroker pistons are the stock 1.094, so you have to pay to get a set of bushings made up as well.

Really your best bet is the KB's, if funds are low, either run the stockers or put it on hold for a while till you can save a few bucks for them.

I can't see trying to do a stroker on a zero budget. Sure we all want 500-600hp but compromises have to be made...I'd love to do a 550hp 496 stroker for my 73 New Yorker, but it's just getting a stock rebuild 400 cause that's all I can afford right now. Being able to drive the car is better than sitting on it for another 3 or 4 years.

There is a way to use 440 pistons, maybe someone has some info on this for you. I will try and find some info.

Yes you have to use the low compression cast pistons with minor skirt clearances with the 3.75" stroke crank.