[Mart]

Re the 6-7/8" rods. I used those rods, a 4" crank and 3-5/16" Ford pistons in the French motor I built for my roadster. The pistons had to be clearanced at the skirt because they were hitting the crank at the bottom of the stroke. I made a jig that passed the piston over a cutter held in the lathe and trimmed away the skirt until they cleared ok. I also had to leave out the lower oil ring.

In other words, although the French motors use a 7" rod in the 3-3/4" stroke engine and a 6-7/8" rod in the 4" stroke engine, the French pistons are not the same as a Ford piston, they are designed to clear the 4" crank. I think they are 3 ring, also, rather than 4.

But nonetheless a Ford piston, in the case of this thread, a 3-1/16" one could be modified to work.

I don't know if there would be clearance issues from rod to cylinder at the base of the bore, though.

I don't have the parts at my disposal to do a dummy build. The mains would need to be reduced, for a start.

Mart.