That's basically my question.Since these are readily in correct form,I was wondering if my 430 would have enough meat to hog out the extra .080 for a stock 462 piston........or maybe a bigger size?Right now it needs to be b ored no question.
I believe there is enough meat there, but I would suggest getting your block sonic checked just to verify. $100 for piece of mind is a small price to pay. The other thing you are going to have to check into is the shape of the piston head. The 430's had a plank head, and the piston top formed the combustion chamber for a 10:1 CR. IIRC, the 462 had a relief cut into the heads and used a different shaped piston. The 462 piston with the 430 head may cause your CR to be too high for pump gas. Good Luck.
Check the MEL engine forum, I think running the 462 block with 430 heads has been done before with good success. I have been told that the late 430 heads are the best ones to get... I have a 462 block and crank sitting in the workshop if you need any dimensions.. Beeps and Unclescooby on here are the MEL gurus.... maybe they could chime in. Cheers Angelo
There are differences in piston, cylinder head and intake manifold design between the years 61-62, 63-65, and 66-68,5. You can't mix and match willy nilly. For instance, my car came with a '66 462 engine block + '63 430 intake + '66 462 heads. It fit together but it didn't fit together right. The runners in the '66 heads are smaller than the runners in the '63 intake manifold....obstructing the air flow. You can fit a 63-65 4V intake with matching 63-65 heads on a 66-68,5 MEL 462 engine block. That way you have the combination of biggest runners and pistons. (I'd avoid the 61-62 MEL 430 set-up as it has a two barrel intake and carb, whereas 63-65 MEL 430 & 66-68,5 MEL 462 have a four barrel intake and carb). Also, the 462 is the only one for which you can still find new domed pistons that are close to OEM. It's flat top pistons for the 430.
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