I hear you, i have a friend, runs a 350 sprinter, basically stock bottom end (rules) with 2 3/16" injection on alcohol. He lost 3 cams before he got to the track (no roller allowed) the cam company's said O'Well, not our problem, they suggested nitrating the cam. They say the lifters are not as hard as in the past, but truth is the oils are not what they used to be. I have a killer 406" with a flat tappet cam, that ran 10 yrs. ago and i'm trying to figure out how to not make the cam go flat when i put it togethger and on the street.
Zip.
PS, you are going to be amazed at the tourque difference between the 404" and the 388" i'm not a roundy, round racer, but i can tell you the difference on the drag strip are dramatic.