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I am working on my '52 250.
I have a ticking hydralic lifter, so i am trying to get the valves out to pull the hydralic assemblies to see which are bad.
I am having a problem getting the valves out of this engine. When I use my spring compressor, compressing against the valve spring seat, the valve moves up through the head as I extent the compressor. It moves up as a unit and tapping the valve head does not free the spring compressor from the valve (and I don't want to hit it hard), so I cant get to the keeper. I have also tried compressing the spring above the spring seat, similar to what you would do with a Ford flat head, which then does not raise the lifter, but there still appears to be no easy way to move the retainer up the valve stem. Do these need to be rotated or something on the stem? they don't seem to want to move.
I feel like I must be missing something here.

They are just stuck; there is no trick. You can strike the valves down by hitting them dead center with a punch so you don't bend the valve. I have also taken a punch and hit the the spring retainers a glancing blow from below to free them up.

Squirt some WD40 around the area where the keeper is and let it sit for several hours (you may want to squirt it several times. Sometime the oil in that area can get a little gummy and WD can help to loosen it up. Also, you might want to see if you can find a "C" clamp spring compressor where one end of the clamp sits on the top of the valve.

Try PB Blaster, even better than WD-40! Works almost every time.

Everything is apart now. Did need to tap the valves with a punch, but not particularly hard. I did try the "C" Type compressor (sounds like a small Jaguar), but it wouldn't successfully compress, it just tended to distort the compressor. Anyway, all apart now and not too difficult, except leaning over the fender to use the compressor was a pain in my back. It must be the compressor - it worked great 15 years ago.
Thanks to all for the advice.

I got a set of the repordcution lifter assemblies. The manual says to put the hydralic lifters in dry and they'll pump up as the engine turns over. It seems to me that it would be better to prelubricate them.
Is there any reason this doesn't make sense?

You can put a drop of oil on the barrel if you like, but they don't want you to fill them with oil as then they will hold the valves open until they leak down and the car won't start.

I want to drop the pan while i am doing this to seal everything up.
Does anyone know if I can pull the pan on this car without dropping the power steering piston assembly? It looks pretty tight. If i need to drop the power steering assembly, i will probably wait until I can put this in the air. This is a '52 250.

Just unbolt the idler arm at the frame and let the assy drop down. That is just 2 bolts and you will have plenty of room. You will also have to remove the lower bellhousing half.