[MrPbody]

Brian,
"Worth the expense" is entirely a subjective question. Only the person spending the money is in the position to answer that.
What can be said, is that the hydraulic roller cams in modern engines far outperform the flat tappet cams from days gone by.

Now, to the good stuff. You need to get the book "How to Build Max-performance Pontiac V8s" by Jim Hand. This book has been out less than 6 mos, and is the most comprehensive study of the Injun engine in over 25 years. You can get it at:

boyleworks.com (muscle cars)
performanceyears.com
classicalpontiacs.com
amesperformance.com

BTW, these sites are also Pontiac-specific, where no one will ever say "Just put a Chevy in it..." There are great forums there, and good advice. My personal favorite is boyleworks. Bill Boyle is a nice man, dedicated to keeping Pontiac performance alive. Due to his efforts, we have more aftermarket parts and Pontiac-specific races.
The valve train issues with the Pontiac are usually pretty simple to correct. Not too many variations on the theme, if you know what I mean.
Most important advice I can give you? Don't pay too much attention to the advice from non-Pontiac people. While all engines respond to similar changes, all engines also have unique features. What makes Chevy small block run well, will KILL a Pontiac (both power and longevity). What makes the Pontiac run well, will make a small block a turd... There are examples across the entire line of engine families like this. Stick to Pontiac guys, for Pontiac advice.
Welcome aboard!