Alan, That sounds like a great project. Your head sounds a lot like the head that Tom Lowe built for me. Lumps, port and chamber work, Shaved a bit, 1.94/1.60 stainless valves, screw in studs, etc. My purpose is different. Mine will be in a street driven roadster, just a fun hot rod.
My heads are all the stock 181 type, i really want to find a cam maker who will sulpply hydraullic roller lifters--I know of off the shelf cams avalable-perfect for a turbo.
You can or could get a GM hydraulic roller lifter at any Chevy dealership for the 4 cylinder engines with no trouble. I don't think getting any cam company to make them for the 6 cylinder will ever happen, most of them don't even have solid rollers for these engines, and most of them used to when these were more popular engines for racing 20-30 years ago. So getting them to create a new product when they themselves have no desire or interest in them is not likely to happen. Your just going to have to be the Lone Ranger and do it yourself or have someone make them for you custom like Kirby did. Also, don't assume the SBC lifter is the one to use, even if the oil groove is in the right location.
