[242177P]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

Question, Maybe I'm missing it, but how will you now bolt the valley pan down if the threaded holes for those bolts are now used for the spider?

Studs is the obvious answer, but a pair of studded bolts would be better. Straightforward
enough, as long as they don't touch the cam bearing. Maybe a little Loctite, just because.

[Jack Gifford]

I built solid roller lifters for the hemi V8 starting with early SBF HR lifters. I made press-in sleeves with cups to match the hemi pushrod angles. The anti-rotation guides aren't pretty, but they work well.

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by maxpowerta

I was thinking about that too, the op said it was a temporary setup for mock up but i think you could just use studs and nuts to get it done.

Originally Posted by 242177P

Studs is the obvious answer, but a pair of studded bolts would be better. Straightforward
enough, as long as they don't touch the cam bearing. Maybe a little Loctite, just because.

Makes sense. Never even occurred to me to attempt this with Pontiac. I never saw the advantage really other than maybe a little cheaper retro fit.

I've done this with early small block fords because the new spider and dog bone parts interchange without modification, and it saved quite a bit of money over the retro rollers for the early Fords.

Here's a 69 351 Windsor I converted to roller with factory Ford parts. Spider and dog bone is only $55 from Ford Performance, and the lifters are only $120.
What I thought was cool was that the block is 50 years old and no mods necessary, the newer parts fell right in. Yet they still sell retro rollers for these things.

[t money]

Thanks for posting this research your doing Just when you think everything that can be done to a 50 year old engine. People keep thinking out side the box. As for the heavy valve train we are seeing guys running the LS like bee hive springs and smaller lighter retainers on all our heads cast and aftermarket.