Started messing around with these engines a few years ago. Fully rebuilt a nice 261 and have a couple good complete core engines. Haven't had any issues with getting parts for them yet- was able to get a cam from Schneider and found NOS hydraulic lifters on ebay. Appears everything broke in well after my rebuild but I don't have a lot of hours on it yet. They're such nice engines to work on but the skeptic in me is thinking the lack of quality lifters might be the crux of them.

So what's a guy to do? There will certainly be a day when NOS parts dry up and you'd have to resort to trying a reproduction lifter, no? Have even heard the quality of lifter regrinds have gone downhill in recent years. Reasonable to pull the cam and lifter matched set from another engine and reuse if doing a rebuild? Any word on the quality of camshafts these days?

Just my thoughts on these engines these days. Looking like still a good supply of everything else to keep them running. Really hoping we can figure out a longterm solution to the lifter problem.