I agree with a lot of the above. Maybe I'm out in left field but here goes... No one has mentioned this yet, but when Chrysler/Fiat publicly reminisces or refers to the past they never fail to mention the legacy and value associated with their classics. A lot of what we pay for parts value wise is affected by the investor market. Value and availability affect each other.
Many investors could give a rats butt about us or our sport, or that some of us would like a reasonably priced block to make more power with. Very few have probably driven north of 6k rpm in anything. But, taper down production of a few parts and add value to your investments...think about it. That's why the tooling isn't released so easily. They control the strings.
The other problem is that tracks have closed in a lot of places. A lot of my generation (even more in those younger than mine) has no attachment to or interest in hot rodding, wrenching or anything associated with power. They'd rather watch reality frighin TV. I just left drag week at the Grove and i left with even more respect for those guys and girls and our sport than I had before. They're doing stuff that very few have the nuts,knowledge,will, and luck to try much less excel at.
Unless more interest transfers to the folks 40 and younger ( my group) more tracks will close and event venues will dwindle. Sad but true.