In some older engines (such as the Chevrolet Gen-2 "Stovebolt" inline-six, the GMC straight-6 engine, the Buick Straight-eight, and the Chrysler "Slant 6") the bore pitch is additionally extended to allow more material between the main bearing webs in the block.
If and when the engine is further refined, modified or enlarged, the bore pitch may be the only dimension retained from its predecessor.
The bore diameter is frequently increased to the limit of minimal wall thickness, the water passage is eliminated between each pair of adjacent cylinders, the deck height is increased to accommodate a longer stroke, etc.
As an example of development, the Chrysler 277" polyspheric V8, first introduced in 1956, was gradually increased in size by bore and stroke to 326" by 1959, then received a drastic make-over in 1964 to conventional "wedge" combustion chambers, then modified again for stud-mounted rocker arms, and finally underwent an even greater re-design to become the modern 5.7 liter hemi.
Note: using a later head of the same engine "family" isn't a true hybrid, but mere modernization.