Re: engine replacements

[Lee Levitt <wheelman@shore.net>]

Gross makes a very elegant and well written point about automobile design.
I'd largely concur.

A couple of points...I've restored and owned classic sports cars and in
doing so, tried to keep them as close to stock as possible...did upgrade
certain things in the interest of safety (radial tires, anyone?), but the
goal was to keep them as authentic as possible? Why? Beats me. I guess I
assumed that an original example would be more attractive to the next buyer
(and there usually is one...)

That having been said, the most attention at a car meet is not usually
given to clean originals or well restored cars...they're more likely to win
best of show, but the attention is paid to the highly modified racer or
anything with a Corvette engine in it ... like a Volvo 245 station wagon
that floats around Western MA, built by a performance tuner...

And I've found that the further you stray from stock, the more money you
spend, and the less likely you are to recoup your investment when you do
sell the car. Many on this list won't care about resale, but for those that
do, it's something to consider.

BTW, with the discussion about Euro lamps...anyone looking into lamps for
100/200 series vehicles? My 1990 200T is dangerous at night now that my
wife has removed the two fog lamps... :(

Maybe a roof rack with a set of Hella 4000s :)

Lee