Best small block book

a couple of informative books that i would recommend are how to rebuild your small block mopar and building big inch small block mopars.both can be found at borders or books a million. now my opinion is that from reading your post you had problems in the #5 cylinder both times.my bet is that your lifters are not the problem and you should dig a little deeper into the engine.any time you bend push rods or valves there is mechanical contact in the engine/ pistons hitting valves etc. could be a number of things and that rattle could be a piston pin or bad rod stretched rod .like i said a number of things but since it is the same cylinder that is some of the things i would be looking at. while the cylinder head is off rotate the engine and look for excessive piston travel in that cylinder and marks on the piston top.also do you know if the can has been degreed when installed /does the engine have pop up pistons and was piston to valve clearance checked when the engine was built? hope some of this will help you out