[ponyakr]

this is 1 of those subjects that has been beat 2 death--then revived & beat some more, time after time. obviously, for all out racing, a solid roller is best--no argument from anyone. for anything less, a hyd roller is probably best for those with $ 2 burn. but with just the lifters going for about $500 a pop, the roller set up is just 2 hi for the low buck street/bracket racer. so i'll only discuss flat tappet cams. sbc guys like solids, so they can rev into the 8000 range if they want 2. but since most pontiacs operate at a much lower rpm, the hyd flat tappet is more than adequate, well down into the 10 sec range. there are probably some stockers scaring the 9 sec range by now. oil requirements for flat tappets still concern some. but there are plenty of additives now 2 solve this problem. i just run diesel oils, like rotella t 15w-40--problem solved--plenty of zinc. other additives like z-max & pro-blend are probably good ins also. everybody has their favorite cam--the selection today is almost unlimited. with hi-rev type lifters, you can now rev into the 7000 rpm range, if need be--well above where most 455 street/mild bracket motors should go. i use & recommend nothing but rhoads lifters--used dozens of sets--never 1 failure. they extend the usable power range of any cam & produce more vac at low rpm. they have real snap ring retainers & won't float at higher rpms--so for me--why consider anything else? but if you are 1 of the rhoads haters, there are plenty of other choices. just make sure you don't use those with the cheap, flimsy, paperclip style retainer. i had 1 come apart at a race--not fun!