Why larger guns are not a simple battleship refit

Could the Wyoming or Rivadavia classes have been refitted with 14-inch guns?

Their barbettes may offer theoretical room, but new turrets, uneven barbette dimensions, cost, maintenance, and lost guns make the conversion unattractive.

A physically possible refit may still be a poor modernization. Installing a larger weapon would require a completely new turret fitted into the existing barbette. The assessment rests on a recollection that the Rivadavia and Wyoming barbettes could accommodate 14-inch guns, with a qualification that some Wyoming superfiring positions were narrower. Those positions might force a reduction in the number of guns. Even where the machinery can be made to fit, the resulting ship could be expensive, difficult to maintain, and less useful than a cleaner design solution.