Piston modification

[racetek]

I recently came across a new set of good quality pistons where one was damaged. The skirt was broken below the lower oil ring groove, probably done when it was being installed. Looking at it, it occurred to me that one could mill away the skirt to remove the lower oil ring and end up with a shorter, lighter piston like the sports slipper piston but with a complete skirt. Obviously you would have to modify all four pistons and re-balance them, but they would at least be usable. Has anyone done this in the past? Can anyone see any glaringly obvious reason why this would not work, especially in a standard engine.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

I worked on an engine that had pistons modified in the way you describe.

They had been in the engine for around 20 years as a daily driver before the rebuild.