My son is about to assemble our second y block for some vintage OHV race. He has told me he plans to install the pistons backwards to increase horsepower. Can someone shed some light on this for me seems like it is asking for trouble in the long term. Thanks 

That is an old stock eliminator trick.  It reduces friction, but increases piston noise.  However, with open headers the noise is not heard.  On a street car with quiet mufflers you will be able to hear them.  I used to do that on my race cars.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

I always thought of offset wrist pins as an inexpensive easy way of reducing rod to crank pin angularity when cylinder pressure is at max. I believe the benefits are small but beneficial none the less.


64F100 57FAIRLANE500

I am not sure it is possible with anything but a flat top piston due to the 4 left and 4 right pistons.  Many new custom pistons already take the pin location into consideration and incorporate the best possible placement.  A mock-up of two cylinders would be advisable before going further(a left and a right intake valve placement).  Joe-JDC

JDC

Good point in regards to domed pistons. I'm not an IC engine designer/expert by any stretch but if 55 Glass Top is dealing with stockish flat top pistons, then installing them backwards would seem to negate the benefits of the offset pin and possibly have a negative effect?


64F100 57FAIRLANE500

My son has regular pistons nothing fancy, thanks for the reply