Since GM has discontinued their mechanical (solid) lifters and any NOS ones out there are priced outta sight..................who makes a GOOD quality flat tappet mechanical lifter for a big block Chevy?

 

Yes, and most guys would suggest that we both go to rollers, not being familiar with the cars you own and that I own! It ain't going to happen! But I might play with my third engine and build a roller!

The GM Performance solid lifters were basically a casualty of the near GM failure especially my beloved 585's (edge orffice limiting units). And now they are making stuff, but not a lot for our older generation engine parts and what is produced, a lot of it is manufactured overseas! But for awhile, Crane was supplying GM Performance with the Cams and Lifters in their kits. You might check their product line for units.

Luckily I saw it coming and stocked up on this stuff and have enough hopefully till the end of my life! I have a new 30/30 and a new LT-1 Cams, two sets of 585's, one set of 695's etc..

I will PM you privately with an idea that I don't want public sometime after the New Years as to what I did. And it doesn't involve anything Clandestine this time!

Also you know I am notorious for taking threads off topic. But the opening picture of all of the cars next to the mountains was the Old Irwindale Dragstrip. That was a ways from the present Irwindale Raceway locations and the venue for that picture. Also San Gabriel Dragstrip was also right in between the two Irwindale track locations. I found the Old Irwindale on a Topo Map!

I will post up here a few pictures for your records!

Almost exactly where all of the Corvettes were parked in your picture! Denote the Mountains in the background. That event in your picture as per my research (and you know my research as well as anyone) is an event in 1966 on March 6 naming the City of Azusa instead of Irwindale! There were 45 cars total in attendance (all makes!). This drag event that I pictured was at a later date.

 

Don't worry about the lifter company as only two companies make them.......... Stanadyne and Johnson....that's the makers and the sellers are almost everyone...just repackagers

not sure of the spelling of the first company......



but whatever



.

 

Johnson. Comp cams carries a good solid as well. Not sure who makes then but my sprint car neighbors swear by them.

 

Crower also sells a solid edge orifice lifter with an EDM hole on the face. I don't have any first hand experience with them but Scorpion advertises theirs to have a deep hardened face.

 

Most people will say that Johnson makes them all. About 15 years ago I had a new set that I think were Johnson's and in about 5 min of run time on a new build the bottom 3/8 of an inch sheared smooth off on one. Just trashed everything.

Replaced the new crane cam with another new crane cam and this time crane lifters and the quality was far superior to the Johnson lifter.

Been a while but you pay for what you get.

 

from Stanadyne?????? The Crane components that I have had (can't talk to the current) seem to have held up. Crower was also a top notch company for years and they manufactured their own stuff, but I am not sure about the current!

 

from Stanadyne?????? The Crane components that I have had (can't talk to the current) seem to have held up. Crower was also a top notch company for years and they manufactured their own stuff, but I am not sure about the current!

I am very particular with engine break-in compounds and my own procedure and then I run like the good green Penn oil with the high zinc content for at least the first two oil changes!

 

I've been running a set of those EDM solid lifters since 2006. Flawless!

 

some changes of personnel etc.. Down San Diego way!

I have heard but can't remember the source that the primary cause of failure is incompatibility of metals from differing brands which I never bought because most cams aren't the same metal as a lifter. But My rule is Crane cam, then Crane lifters, GM cam-- GM lifters. Simple formula!!!!!!!

 

No, as Wally said there are only a couple of manufactures of the solid lifters. It''s always been this way. Crane, Crower, Lunati, Comp cam, etc. etc all are repackaged from the OEM suppliers. Some might make a few modifications, but otherwise they are the same.

p.s same holds true for the cam makers. Only a few make and supply the blanks to the aftermarket people

 

You can think that until you explode one....they are NOT all the same