Max Wedge pistons

[PolyJon]

Hi CD,
It was an oldie thread, but I revived it to find some 413 MW pistons. Lucked into a 62-413 truck block with zero miles, got some mint 62 MW heads, crank and rods, so next is a stock set of MW-pistons...
Not gonna race such a rare piece, just wanna ‘do it right’ lol, it’s an OCD thing...

 

[33 IMP]

PolyJon, i understand the ocd thing, but.... i did a quick search for 413 pistons, and all i found were expensive cast flat tops. Not all that surprising, for an almost 60 year old engine, and a not particularly hot rod one at that (of course, maxes excepted).
I think if you want forged 413, you are either gonna have to find used stock originals, or a custom piston now. If you are not gonna race this piece, i sure wouldnt build it with the original compression ratio. Sunoco 260 has gone the way of the dinosaurs. I would try for a near zero deck, 9 1/2 motor with a mild sft cam, and run it on the best pump premium you can buy, local. Have fun!

 

[Cojohnso1]

These "Max wedge" builds are so expensive. I looked into for a custom build option. And the $$ estimate quickly slapped me back to reality. For me? A 440 with an after market cross ram intake to give the illusion of a Max Wedge build a MUCH better option. Especially in a car that has no business with an original 426 max wedge powerplant. I wish you all the luck. And will certainly forward any parts options I run across.

 

[PolyJon]

Many thanx for the replies guys.
This MW build is for ‘the heck of it’, if I hadn’t found a mint 62 truck block then it wouln’t have happened...
Then I found a 62 crank in a very old S/S 70’s 440ci drag motor.
I recently found a modern MW intake by Indy too.
The most expensive parts were the heads’n’rockers of course
So bit by bit I’m getting close lol.
I know a guy up north with a pair of exhaust manifolds, just need to wear him down a bit, as everyone is skint at Christmas, desperate times calls for desperate measures...

 

[moparsquid]

Here's a pic of mine I was originally going to use max wedge heads but it turned out they were cracked so I ran a 500 with eddy victor max heads a stage 2 manifold and 2 holley 600 instead of carters repro max exhaust and TTI max wedge exhaust 3200 stall converter 4.30 sure grip with cheater slicks ran really well and turned many a head and grew crowds of old guys when I went to car shows

 

[PolyJon]

Wow squid, that is Mopar Heaven!
I had the same plan myself and bought the Eddy MW heads but lucked into some real nice 62 heads.
The factory intakes had many gremlins I hear, but outta my price range anyways, so got a modern Indy slab!

 

[moparsquid]

my friend recently passed who had a mopar shop I picked up a 426 block and pistons from him he got it from a well known maxy racer on the west coast they might have a max wedge block I know they have a crank for 500$ but ive decided to go with the 440 source light weight to get higher revs and its new

 

[PolyJon]

So sad, the older racers have moved on to their own Mopar Heaven.
Me, I’m just late middle aged and slightly senile...
The wife says I’ve always been mad to do Mopars!

NO I Say, you must be mad to drive a Ford or them other guys, who shall remain nameless...

Better to be poor and happy, than rich and NOT have a Max Wedge...

 

[moparsquid]

its like looking for a needle in the haystack go online to look for a certain mopar part and you find chevy all day

 

[PolyJon]

Max wedge is a very exclusive club indeed!
Obviously most folks want the 426ci for obvious reasons, it’s the holy grail of Mopar!
But in 62, The Lawman beat Dino Don in a heads-up race that got Mother Mopar into drags...
Yep back then Dino Don was ‘king of stock’ and Al beat him up good with a 413ci, history was made!

So a 62-413ci Max-Wedge motor is/was the spark that stared the fire, for us Moparians...

 

[Cojohnso1]

Some of the old manufacture rival chat of Chevy 409 vs Mopar 413 is fun to view. But even the Chevy guys in the know admit that the 413 was a tougher platform. Thus held up better. I still think the "Beach Boys" were a little Chevy bias? Lol.

 

[PolyJon]

Nice reply Cojo.
The sub-seven litre engines were seen as the ‘performance motors’ and the later 440’s just truck engines...
The Ford 406 was bored to 427 and was pretty much at its limit, but the 413 has been bored to 440 size and still stay together...
And the 426 is not a 0.060 over bore 413,
It’s a 4 1/4 inch bore lol...

 

[PolyJon]

Nice reply Cojo.
The sub-seven litre engines were seen as the ‘performance motors’ and the later 440’s just truck engines lol.
The Ford 406 was bored to 427 and was pretty much at its limit, but the 413 has been bored to 440 size and still stay together...

 

[4spphil]

Up to date list of 62 413/410hp nhra accepted stock pistons. Not sure on availability.

 

[POMONAMISSEL]

carrillo rods n pistons make a 426 piston and race tec can make any size piston you can buy rings for . oh ya we ran 660 center squirters on my stage 2 package , and plan on running afb's on the 4spd car . i've got the correct plugs and nos linkage for the carter afb setup . happydayz is the auto 63 .

 

[moparsquid]

as you can see by my avatar photo I id the same ran twin holleys worked really well had a guy named rick walker do them very smart guy when it comes to carbs

 

[33 IMP]

carrillo rods n pistons make a 426 piston and race tec can make any size piston you can buy rings for . oh ya we ran 660 center squirters on my stage 2 package , and plan on running afb's on the 4spd car . i've got the correct plugs and nos linkage for the carter afb setup . happydayz is the auto 63 .View attachment 1038376 View attachment 1038378 View attachment 1038370 View attachment 1038371

Looks like the 4.1875 bore for a 413, is the same as a 401 buick, or a 428 pontiac. Rings shouldn't be a problem.