Stupid rules...no roller rockers or roller tipped rockers.

I have started building a Mid-west Modified.  I have chosen to build a 302 Ford with GT40P heads. One little problem. Do I run stock Explorer rockers?  Do I go with Pedestal or machine the heads and go to studs? Do I need guide plates?  A set of cheap roller rockers would have made my day.  Any suggestions??? All I can find on this subject is to run rollers.  Why make racers run stock steel rockers when rollers are cheap and easier on the valve train. I don't know how many modified Chevrolet drivers have told me they have broken rocker studs.

Is it worth installing 2.02 intakes and 1.60 exhaust valves?  Is it important to install stainless steel valves? Right now these heads come with 1.84 intakes.  

Well I usually don't do a whole lot with the Fords but I'll try to help. My suggestion for the rockers goes as follows: Take the heads and get the valves done for the largest you can get, While they're at the machine shop have them milled and drilled for got rocker studs. Next find some Ni-chem coated rockers from your supplier of choice, I got mine from competition Products,. Get some poly locks or possibly a stud girdle. Let your cam supplier reccomend what springs to use, and trust them they have better testing equipment than us. The rocker are very strong and they will guarentee the for a year under racing conditions. The stainless valves are cheap insurance, especially when you consider the damage a broken valve does to the rest of engine, and can be got for around $80-150.  
"Remember when sex was safe and racing was dangerous?"

Nobody in the world seems to sell aftermarket rockers for s/b fords that aren't rollers!  When I bought the camshaft, I went with a complete kit from COMP.  Stainless Steel valves are on order! Hmmm I wonder if the Chevrolet rockers would work???  They are a dime a dozen! Screw in studs for the ford are easy to find...who has they rockers!!!  

Oh yea, I forgot to tell ya, Chevy rockers are the same!! OOOPS! Ford used 1.6s I think but the 1.5s and 1.6s will both work.  
"Remember when sex was safe and racing was dangerous?"

Thanks buddy!  Ordering one set of Small Block Chevrolet 1.6 long slot rockers, guide plates and screw in studs for my Ford!  That makes life a little easier for me. I thought that I could go that route but could not find that info anywhere!!!  

All, here's what I came up with yesterday...COMP has Ford Long Slots for $149. 1.6 Ratio, I'm also getting ARP 3/8 studs and guide plates.  I'm paying top dollar for SBF instead of SBC, just so I don't curse the engine!    

Thats cheap!!! We're building a 390 for a street stock class and everything is crazy expensive! Good luck.  
"Remember when sex was safe and racing was dangerous?"

390!  When I first started racing I had a 390 tucked into a 1956 Ford!  That was in 1973! It was a half mile track.  It was $150 from the junk yard.  I raced it right from the old galaxie I took it out of.  Same cam, spark plugs that came with it!  My uncle gave me a set of 4:56 gears and man did this motor pulled.  Probably never hit 5,000 rpm and was scary fast! The fastest Chevrolets were the 302's back then, they were screamers.  I could and did run right with them.  TORQUE, TORQUE...nothing excelorates better!

Keep moving your gears ratio to as high as possible.  You'll be very fast! I ran with a 351W on a dirt track that all the Chevrolets were running 6:00 plus ratios.  My Windsor was running under 6,000 rpms with 5:43 and was uncatchable once I got the lead! Don't need to slow down your Ford by running deep gears!  The torque gain over a Chevrolet makes it unnessary. Try it...you'll like it! (You also won't be blowing up at the lower RPM's)

I would be running a Windsor again but I'm running the 302 simply because I get some nice concessions.  I get to run alcohol instead of racing gas, I get to run a aluminim intake instead of factory cast and well, I like the weight savings of the 302 over the Windsor.  

Good luck with that torque monster!