flathead oil mystery

I have a 8ba and I noticed something different about it. Above the timing cover and below the intake someone installed copper tubing into the lifter valley. Upon removing the intake I could see this manifold that ran around the valley,it was wired to the horseshoe clips to retain it.On the bottom side there were 3/32" holes drilled at lifter locations,I assume this was done to supply oil to the lifters.Is this something I should keep or its not needed? Also I cant figure out where they got the oil supply from. Thanks Joe

 

That's a new one on me. Never knew a flattie to need any such thing.

 

Keep following tubing til you find a source! Sounds intriguing...an industrial archaeology project, figuring out what someone was thinking who knows when.
Lifters really don't need special oiling, even in OHV engines with greater stress. They live on splash onf fog of oil. Plumbing for lifters is an artefact of the arrival of hydraulic lifters, not something the lifters need otherwise.
Some racers in restricted classes requiring flat tappets have plumbed the feeds through the lifter to pressure lube the actual contact point between lifter and cam, a major failure point on hot OHV's, but from what I've read it had little real impact on durability!