Has anybody put a mark IV style cam in a gen VI block, want to try this to cure my reverse rotation issues been battling for years

I don't see why it shouldn't work. I am assuming you are talking about the gear drive setup. As far as I know the front of the blocks are the same. Biggest issue I see is trying to match the grind on the other engine. That and maybe clearing the timing cover but I just looked at one and it looks like there should be enough room.

The timing cover is different.

The reverse rotation set up is gear drive and uses a plate similar to the Gen6 engines

Yes, done with this thing eating distributors(even the high $$ special bearing ones) looking to go back to what I had in the mark IV engines I had run trouble free for years. Had I known the deal on how they reversed the gen VI's and all the issues I've delt with for 8 years never would have done those. The old style flat tappet cams are still available(uses a special snout w/center bolt) for the gear to gear set up, but have not found someone who can grind a roller because no cores available unless you get 10. I know all about the timing cover be different and clearance is going to be a issue, may end up machining the gear set down ?? Milodon makes a extra clearance cover to run a std double roller chain setup so I know that will give me a little more. My one concern is the retainer plate for the cam, the gen VI uses one and the cam is cut for that, the gear drive setup also used a plate on the mark IV blocks which one other one did, so sure its needed because of the helical cut gears, just not sure if the mark IV style cam will work with the gen VI retainer plate..

EZ,

My warehouse has a set of the gears. I will try to get them to measure the thickness on them. The bolt pattern for the plate is the same, not sure of the thickness but I can easily find out. I have several Gen6 blocks and timing covers I can look at for you.

By the way, do you do any hand pin striping ?

Bill that would be awesome, called comp yesterday see if there was any shout of them grinding a roller with ft snout to accept the gear to gear setup, they said they could if they had a core, which he thought they had(showed in inventory) but did not, and had no idea on getting another. I slipped a mark IV cam I had here into a gen VI block, seemed fine, it sat flush with block so looked like retainer plate would work as well(all the gear to gear ones used a retainer like a gen VI). again, thanks for the help !!!!

Will do. I will give them a call on Friday.