okay so i may make myself look stupid here but i have no idea what parts i would need. I am building strictly a racecar. a lot of power on motor and then about a 250 shot of nitrous. Right now we have the short block (408), AFR 225cc race heads, and oil system. Where i am stuck is with lifters, type of cam, how to know the right length pushrods, rockers. cam choices, should i get a custom ground? what type, mechanical, roller, hydraulic, flat tappet? What is the difference in pedestal mount and stud mount? 1.6 rockers?

sorry, i know nothing

 

anyone know what i should be looking for?

 

Email Ed Curtis at edcurtisFTI@verizon.net with your info and goals. What are the springs in the AFRs for? Race only would be solid roller with link bar lifters I would think. But have Ed cut a cam and recomend and supply the springs.

 

solid roller FTW. especially for a race car. flat tappet cams are garbage at high rpm and lift. as for the pushrod length, get an adjustable length checker and look at the tips pattern on the stem. use a check spring you can turn the engine easier. obviously measure PTV. different style cams use different lifters.
pedestal style is the stock style that Ford used that has a bolt going through the rocker in a hole in the head. its a 5/16 inch bolt and is very weak but cant be adjusted very far. stud style rockers use a 3/8 or 7/16 stud that goes into the head and actually has a nut on the rocker that screws onto the stud. much stronger and can be adjusted MUCH more.
the different numbers for a rocker (1.5, 1.6, 1.7, etc) just mean how much the rocker increases the lobe lift on the cam. example the lobe lift on a cam is .300": a 1.5 would be .450" lift, 1.6 = .480", and 1.7 = .510".
just FYI, AFR225's, a healthy 408W and a 250 shot is going to be pushing the stock block pretty damn hard. maybe look into a DART or a new Boss 351 block. the stock 2 bolt mains are a little weak for that much power and dont like very high rpm's. also the 3" main bearings are a bit much for high rpm. its a lot of bearing speed. DART's use the Cleavland style 2.75" mains.