[JLMounce]

You're going to be money ahead with the HFT setup initially, but if your plan ultimately includes going to a roller, you're always money ahead doing it up front, even if it costs more initially.

The only thing really between the two that won't be a sunk cost is the rockers. With most street hydraulic rollers you'd still want a 1.65:1 rocker to get you up to or slightly over that .6" valve lift. Everything else would have to be changed. Valve springs, pushrods, lifters, cam and depending on your distributor probably the gear as well.

Always cheaper in the end to go after the combination you want, than to throw something together and do it over. That's not always realistic though based on budgets.

But Steve C makes great points here if the budget is a concern, you can help out the HFT cam with the variable ratio lifters and higher ratio rockers that help with valve action at half to 3/4's the price of the roller setup.

All that said, having lived with a roller for 7 years now, my only complaint is the damn noise. I've not had any reliability issues at all. Every time I tear into the engine, everything looks great. I'd return to a roller again without hesitation, I'd just ditch the Morel lifters, probably in favor of the Johnsons that Butler currently has.