stock rockers or ???

I have a little bit of a dilema (money based of course). I'm building a mild 455, 9 to 1, poston 113 cam, stage 1 spec ported heads. I want to send the timing cover to J.W. to be worked over but if I do this, I'll have to use the stock rocker assemblies because of money.

I've heard that stock rockers ('73 vintage) are fine for a motor like mine but how do I tell if they are worn. I have two sets but I see no real difference between the two as far as wear gos but then I don't know what I'm looking for.

I figure it would be best to have the timing cover done now as it would be easier to swap out the rocker assemblies in a year if I had to. What do you guys think?

 

Just remove all the rockers and look at the shafts for galling , look at the rockers too, the wear surfaces should be smooth with no gouges or grooves, if everthing checks out, clean them up and get some new nylon bottons and pu them back together.
Just take a small hammer and tap the rockers off the shaft, the nylon buttons will break and you can get everything apart for cleaning and inspection.
A side note here, try to stay with the factory shafts, they are MUCH thicker than the replacement shafts out there, with the exception of the high performance TA shafts.
The replacement shafts available through all the sources I know of are in my opinion way too thin for perfromance use. Jim Burek P.A.E. ENTERPRISES

 

There was a good breakdown of different rocker options done here Rockers Poll

 

Thanks so much guys. Jim, once again, you've come to my aid. I hope to meet you someday so I can thank you in person. Until then I guess I'll just have to give you my business whenever I can!

Clint, thanks for the link. I could sure use a windfall right now but not the way that you got yours! Seems like ever since I decided to make a push to finish my car this year our financial situation has just kept getting worse. Work slows down, medical bills for me and the kids and now it looks like we may have to buy a new car for the wife! Haven't had a car payment in 7 or 8 years! Oh well, I'm not giving up. I've had this car for 11 yrs. and I'm finishing it one way or another!

THanks again!