89 360 vs 71 360
Are there other options than the link bar style lifter? Are there 'higher performance' factory style lifters or will the stock lifters fit the bill to a certain HP?
Not really any better options than link bars unles you want to go to key way lifters and that would be expensive and silly. Unless you are like me...half off your rocker and like to try stuff. But I can do my own machine work.
That said...I'd use the 360 block, solid roller lifters and I'd put a tube in the drivers side oil gallery (outlined in the DC and MP books and many other places) and plug off the oil supply to the drivers side gallery. I just block it off with a set screw in the feed hole but some guys drive a soft plug in the gallery and press it bad far enough to go past the feed hole coming up from the main, effectively block oil the lifters.
You do that and it won't matter if the chamfer at the top of the lifter bore is...let's say...generous. It won't matter...there is no oil there. You'll have better oil pressure, needless volume and won't have 16 leaks at the lifters.
Just my .02.
FWIW, the magnum block may be marginally tougher than the LA stuff, but after you bore, hone and machine enough blocks, you'll know that the LA block is tougher and harder than any production Ford or GM block.
To me, I wouldn't do the magnum block for what you want. Sell that and use the money to do what you want.
