A bad cam won't let the bridge fall out if the lash is right. Although that whole setup looks like and after thought. What's bothering me is the push rod is bent. It's possible the bridge falling out caused that by getting hung up somewhere. Or you have a valve jamming. Typically to bend a push rod, the rocker has to hit something pretty solid. Like a piston top. I wonder if you are getting some hydraulics?

When you said it lacked power. . . was it a huge amount of power? 10% less?

@ogbign