ok, so i'm putting together a new engine for the road runner. everyone is saying go roller. but i drive my car, a LOT, and it has only seen the track a few times. i'm looking for that balance of power vs. drivability, and want to err on the side of drivability. the basic combo i'm putting together could generate a lot more horsepower with a more radical cam, but then i would give up the drivability. it's a stock road runner body, so close to 4k lbs, and it's a stick.

so here's the thing. going with a roller gets more performance, and of course no issues of wiping cam lobes because of the lack of zinc and the proper additives in modern oil. yes, there are plenty of good choices of oil out there, but it happens, a lot, these days.

but wiping a lobe on a flat tappet and having a roller lifter come apart are two completely different things. most of the time, a bad lobe just means rebuilding the engine, new rings and bearings. a roller disintegrating can do a hell of a lot more damage.

i should add that i know most rollers fail because of the insane spring pressures to match the aggressive grinds, but the setup i'll be using is a hydraulic roller grind with solid roller lifters. so the grind isn't that aggressive, uses fairly standard springs, and yet is stout enough to give more than a flat tappet will.

so for a street engine that sees a pretty reasonable amount of miles, a few long trips a year, and my foot to the floor at every opportunity, what do you recommend? should i go roller or just stick with a flat tappet?