Crate Engine or rebuild my 350?

[brown7373]

Previous tap, tap, tap thread has now take a new turn.

From what I can determine, a lobe on my cam is wiped. #2 intake lifter looks fine, but way loose. Rocker stud is fine (not pulled out) and rocker arm and rod looks fine too. All the lifters will spin, but they are nearly impossible to remove. I was planning on at least replacing the lifters, so I put vice grips on the lifter and pried it out.

I have never rebuilt a Chevy before. I've done a couple 455 and a 400 Pontiac successfully before. I forgot that the cam is not accessible from the top on a Chevy small block. Any way to check the suspect lobe? I was considering putting in a lifter and turning the engine and measure if it came up the same amount as the others.

It is looking like more than just replacing the lifters. How does a crate engine compare price wise with a rebuild? My 72 is not so valuable a truck that a engine change would hurt it, plus, I plan to keep it forever. We use this truck and have even taken it into the mountains on vacation. I want to keep it a nice driver. To be honest, it tends to be a little anemic on the mountain roads and a little more power would be welcome. I am not looking to make it a street racer, just a little more grunt.

Ideas?