Rods & Roller Rockers

[jayb]

You can grind clearance into the pushrod hole, move the rocker over with shims, or go to the offset rockers.

[cjshaker]

As long as they aren't actually rubbing then there shouldn't be a problem. It would be easy enough to mark them with a white marker or something similar, run it through a couple cycles by hand and check for any witness marks. I would be more concerned with proper rocker geometry than anything. Just being close to the pushrod tube isn't an issue. BUT having said that, make double sure  you have the intake in the correct position for the distributor to slide in easily. You don't want to button everything up with the rods that close then find out the intake needs to be shifted for the distributor holes to line up correctly.

[KMcCullah]

Seems a lot more difficult than it should be...

You said it "seems a lot more difficult than it should be". Well sure it's difficult. When you get to mixing aftermarket parts things become difficult. For me its half the fun of being an FE nut. It takes a bit more effort to get the rockers just right but the end result is worth the challenge.

Jay put it in a nutshell for you. I personally would mill the pushrod hole.

[blykins]

You're not as stuck as you think.

Are they touching?  Rubbing?  When you roll the engine over with the pushrods in and the intake on, are there any witness marks? 

If they're making witness marks, grind the pushrod tubes until they clear.  Or....just shim the rocker over .015" or so and get it out of the way.  Several ways of going about it. 

[fastback 427]

+1 to everything above. Couldn't see on your pics if the distributor is in but before you tighten intake down it should be, think of it like an alignment pin. Then check clearance.  On some of my intakes the holes aren't holes anymore but just slots. Won't hurt anything.

[2VNTG68S]

thanks guys, this is all very helpful!