Recommendation for Forged Pistons and Connecting Rods

Like Walt Jackson, I prefer hydraulic lifters. Indeed, I changed my 1965 273 to hydraulic. One big reason was to use Rhoads variable (leak-down) lifters for a poor-man's VVT. Most use them to get acceptable intake vacuum at idle (for brake booster) while running a racing camshaft, but I installed a milder "RV/Torque" camshaft which still has more lift than the OE solid-lifter camshaft since my goal was better mileage and low-end torque. But, like Charrlie_S says, the hydraulic lifters in the last-gasp slants was a kludge with strange oiling thru the pushrods. The same Rhoads lifters fit the small-block and big-block engines (0.910"D bore, recall), but wonder about the slant. Perhaps see if same PN for hyd lifters in slant and small-block, if interested.