Sticks and stones... :LOL:

Valvetrain noises and having to adjust valve lash is not the problem. It's the solid roller lifters spitting tiny needle bearings throughout my once healthy engine. Numerous and extended idling times coupled with inadequate lifter bearing lubrication at idle is what usually takes the lifters out on a street car. Those little needle bearings always seem to find a place to come to rest where they shouldn't be, bringing about an engine teardown. Some will argue that a couple manufacturers have developed a new style solid roller bearing that will survive street bumper to bumper cruises. I'm just not buying into it yet...

As Brent sort of said, If you lighten up the valvetrain (valves, rockers, springs, retainers, locks etc, etc.. ) you can extend your max RPM significantly. Add a light weight crank, titanium rods, ultra light pistons then you have a 7500 rpm barnstormer that go for over 100K miles without cracking a valve cover. At least that's my story.:cool:

You have to weigh the pros and cons of each one.

A solid roller will allow for a more aggressive lobe profiles and higher spring pressures. Makes it a little easier to hit the higher rpms without much thought involved. Almost anyone can slap in a solid roller cam, lifters, set the springs up, and turn big rpms.

A hydraulic roller will be less tolerant of higher spring pressures just because the spring pressure will start compressing the lifter plunger. There are ways around that and you have to remember that the spring pressure needed will be dependent on the weight of the valvetrain. You can make a hydraulic roller turn 8000 rpm if that's what you want to do. NHRA stock and super stock 5.0 Mustangs do just that, and they do it reliably. An FE will require a little more brain power as the valves are usually longer and heavier, valvetrain is heavier, etc., but it can be done.

With all that being said, you're TONS more likely to lunch a solid roller than you are a hydraulic roller. Since there is lash involved in a solid roller, you have constant pounding of the bearings in the lifter. There are $$$ lifters out there with bushings instead of needle bearings, and are offered to last 25-30k miles. I've got quite a few sets out there in engines, but with the time it takes a Cobra owner to put 30000 miles on an engine, I may not ever find out if they will last or not...

A hydraulic roller will be less tolerant of higher spring pressures, but guys seem to want high pressure with both double springs. Either way, what are the things you can to them and not to bend, snap and even float the valve at high RPM's ?
What are the safe guards for the FE, including not floating valves ?

Should just put a Chevy in, a lot cheaper & easier. :LOL:

Everything as light as possible. With a 2.20" titanium intake valve, titanium retainers, light weight lifters, and the right lobe I turn 7500 rpm with 155/410 springs. That's not to say an FE will turn that with the same parts, as Brent said, the FE stuff will be heavier.

Edit: The LS7 also has light weight and strong rocker arms which helps too.

Can you say,..$$$$$$ ;)

A lot cheaper than racing dirt late models and sprint cars... and it might even last a few years. :LOL:

I KNOW,....!

We were lucky that in the 14 years that we raced the sprints, we never Kaboomed an engine. But even today, the IMCA "A" Mods have more expensive engines than a lot of sprints !

The word is, that Sammy Swindle's 410 billet aluminum block and heads is putting out 1,000 HP. :eek: Don't know if that's true,...but so far anyway,...it's a secret. It sure is pretty and sound awesome ! :cool:

I don't doubt that Parker can get 1000 HP from a 410 sprint engine. The cylinder heads for sprints and late models to make that number have been available for quite a few years now. With dirt stuff being more focused on drivability over peak power, 900+ is a common number. 1000 HP is probably a Knoxville or Eldora motor.

With race fuel anything is possible.

E85 too.