413 vs 400 engine swap

[William Parker <parkerw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

B & T Roddick wrote:
> 
> I have a pair of the '67 440 heads (bare w/rockers) collecting rust in my
> shed.  Would there be any real gain to buying the valves and installing them
> at overhaul time for the 413?  Assuming I can find pistons, or that I can
> get away with  +.005" rings.  By chance, will the 413 bore out big (and
> safe) enough to install standard 426 wedge or 440 slugs?
> 
> Bill & Tami Roddick
> Port Orchard, WA

     The 413 can be bored out to 426 size, in fact can be
bored to 426 +.030, although the walls are getting thin
there.  When I acquired my max wedge block (non original to
the car) it had a set of 426 + .030 domed pistons already in
it, but too loose to run.  My machine shop guys spoke with
Indy cylinder head about it and they said they would sonic
check it if I wanted, but they recommended sleeving to go
back to 413 and regain wall thickness.  There's really no
advantage to going to the 426 size unless you find some
pistons, they have the same discontinued problem as the 413
pistons. I ended up having Ross pistons custom made as I
wanted enough dome to have about 10.5 to 1 compression, best
possible streeable static ratio (in my opinion anyway).  PST
has engine kits in their catalog and list a kit including
new pistons for a 426 wedge, $400 more than the kits for the
440 and 383, so I would say they simply order up custom
pistons anyway.  My pistons cost $840 including shipping by
the way, but they are things of beauty.  Bare bones custom
pistons are going to be at least $650 anyway.  I originally
was going to run the Badger new 413 forged .030 pistons in
the max wedge before deciding if I were going to do it, I
may as well have the compression I wanted.  The Badger set
cost me $365, I am planning to use them to overhaul the '65
Imperial soon as I get around to it.

Bill Parker, South Central Indiana
'62 Plymouth Max Wedge; '64 Dart Convertible (Kathi's car);
'65 Imperial; '65 Barracuda \6 (Kathi's other car);'68
Barracuda Fastback 340-S; '69 Barracuda Fastback now 360 (20
y.o. son's car); '72 Cuda 340