I know running a roller cam will help free up some HP, but is it worth it? Is it easier to install than a hydraulic one as far as setting valve lash with hydraulic, how do you do that with a roller. How much would I be looking at including everything I would need?

it depends on the rest of your combo. If you've got a stock 305, then you're talking about a total waste of money. In my case, it may be necessary. If I slap a set of AFR heads on with a stealth ram, a hydraulic cam just won't be able to keep the valves open long enough to maximize the system's potential, so a roller retrofit will be quite beneficial.

Check my sig to see what I have, I plan on some head work, new intake and higher stall TC when I get a cam. The heads I have right now have 1.94/1.5 valves, I was told they just need some porting. I'm either gettin the Edelbrock EPS or RPM intake, and a TC around the 2500 stall area.

I swear by 'em. roller cams get the lash set teh same way as flat tappet cams, the important part is hydraulic or solid. As a retrofit somewhere between 400 and 600 bucks, so it's pricey.

Wow, that's quite a bit of change, I think I'll stick with a Comp 268XE hydrualic.

That block might have the bosses there that you need to install a stock roller retainer thingie. if that's the case, you should be able to get some used lifters and the holder relatively cheap, so it may be worth it. But if you've got to do a retrofit, I don't see where that motor is going to benefit more than 10, maybe 15 hp (that's just a guess) from using a good roller cam vs. a good hydraulic.

Sorry for the ignorance, but bosses , how would I know?

I think he means dripped and tapped holes in the lifter valley for the spider retainer.

The roller cams have faster ramp speeds than flat tappets and in turn can make higher lifts.

Definitely more power and more rpm's.

I think the roller cam is worth every penny. The roller cam can open the valve to maximum lift quicker. It can keep the valve at max lift for a longer duration.

Less friction is an added bonus. You don't have to break a roller cam in either...another bonus.