Need advice on rockers, rail type

[THE78II]

I have a '77 with rail rockers, and I'm buying a set of reconditioned heads. Right now, I have a choice of '77, rail type, and using Comp Cams roller rockers, or '78, fulcrum guided (stamped steel), with standard rockers.
Which way should I go with this? Are the '77 rails with rollers better than '78 with stock non rollers?
I've had rail rockers, and no problems with them, but I have heard they can jump the valve tip. I don't race, and never ran across this problem, or heard of anyone having trouble with them, other than wear, but that would be very high mileage.
Any opinions? Thanks a lot.

 

[itsaMustangtoo]

The difference would be CC. You need to check the casting numbers on the head. You do not want to go from say, a 63cc head to a 69 cc head. This would lower your performance. So your question is more than rocker arm type.

 

[Dano78]

IIRC both the '77 and '78 SFB heads are 69cc. I, myself, prefer the rail rockers over those goofy bolt-down '78 stamped rockers. Have had a set on my Ranchero for years and as a 16 year old I beat the snot out of that 302 and never had a rocker pop off. And that was witht he Rpms floating in the 5500 range.

 

[Mustangj]

I have 1975 heads with rail type rockers. I have comp cams magnum roller rockers on my car. My car is a week-end toy and it is beaten with out mercy 5500RPM shifts (100hp nitrous kit too) on stock parts store rebuilt heads. I have never had any valvetrain failures. Oil pump, pistons, rods, gaskets and transmissions are another story though

 

[Mustangj]

Oh, I almost forgot My heads have an in-expensive kit from Comp that makes the rockers adjustable. It works very well also.