New pistons, what brand?

zzlegend

zzlegend

Well-known member
Looking for any advice on a set of new pistons for my 46, 59AB that i am rebuilding. 80 over. Much difference in brands out there? What have you guys used?
 
I used EGGE as well. You can get them from Van Pelts. Just make sure you give them to your machinist so he can measure them before boring the cylinders out.
 
Egge is really your only choice theres not to many manufacturers making pistons for the flathead anymore. Egge is the best for a cast piston.
Ronnieroadster
 
Unless you’re fitting a Mercury 4” crankshaft to this motor, the regular 8BA pistons are what you want for your engine. As stated already, we stock the Egge brand. We’ve got the matching ring sets on hand as well.

Make sure your machine shop has completed the boring process on the block before you order the pistons. This will assure you and him that the overbore will clean up the cylinders adequately. Sometimes they’ll find that there was a deep scratch or gouge that reqired a slightly larger bore than they thought originally.
 
Thanks for all the reply's guys. Egge was one i was going to check with.

Mac, i have the motor at the machinist now and he magged it and looked it over and said the same as you. He is going to bore it and just wanted to make sure what pistons were available. He thinks it will clean up at 80 and said he would do a final fit after i get the pistons. I will be in touch with you as soon as i hear from him. Thanks again.
 
Mac VP said:
Unless you’re fitting a Mercury 4” crankshaft to this motor, the regular 8BA pistons are what you want for your engine. As stated already, we stock the Egge brand. We’ve got the matching ring sets on hand as well.

Make sure your machine shop has completed the boring process on the block before you order the pistons. This will assure you and him that the overbore will clean up the cylinders adequately. Sometimes they’ll find that there was a deep scratch or gouge that reqired a slightly larger bore than they thought originally.
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This is the opposite of conventional wisdom. Most machinists say never bore until you have pistons in hand to get the best fit. It's harder to buy a piston to fit a particular bore than vice versa.
 
I took it as cut to a slight undersize to see if the cylinders will clean up and then final fit with the pistons in hand.
 
You have stated it correctly. I just wanted to caution him about ordering the pistons before they’ve established that the cylinders are okay. I tell everyone this now. I also tell the customer to keep the pistons (and the rings) in their unopened boxes until the shop is ready to fit them. We’ve had to deny some returns over the years that were sent back in opened, greasy boxes, with dirty fingerprints all over the new pistons.
 
You can get them at Ross Pistons as well I think but they are a lot more expensive. Ross makes pistons for race motors so you probably don't need that.
 
Thanks flatford. Ya, Ross might be a little much for what i am doing.
Ronnie, i have seen those silvolite's but have not inquired about them yet. I sent a P.M. to Mac and just waiting to hear back from him. Had a couple of questions for him.
 
Sealed power also still makes the old dome top 4-ringers. They are getting pricey to some extent but aren't they all.
 
rotor, yep, seems like everything is getting some what costly. Dare i say,,,,,i use to rebuild a small block 265,283,chevy for 3 to 5 hundred.

Ronnie, thanks for that info.
 
I'd bore it to 3 5/16 and use Egge 3 ring pistons and gain another point in compression and 258 CI. Don't be bashful.
 
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