> I am troubled by the trend of significant modification to classic
>cars.
Snip....
It is very unfortunate that many cars get butchered and made un-original.
I subscribe to similar ideals to Christopher, in that if it makes sense, I will replace with the exact correct part. If the part is an inferior design, I will often choose a more robust part from another mark Rootes vehicle. If there is a design deficiency I may jump to a ford or other similar vehicle for a superior design, generally in the interest of maintainability. I run a 1725 engine in a car that came equiped with a 1592. I run an all-sync tranny in a car that is supposed to have a non-sync. I use webers or EFI as my induction system because it is vastly superior to any of the other carb options, and it is totally reversable.
Sometimes, it is definately in the best interest to put whatever parts [work/fit/are available] into a car to keep it economically feasible to opperate.
This will include complete drive train swaps.
If you find that your beloved sunbeam has a rod sticking through the side of the block. you can assume two things. 1) The black is done, 2) So is the crank.
These two parts alone, totally disqualify future service of that engine. Cranks are getting really tough to find, and blocks are every bit as rare.
Would we take the car straight to the scrap yard, part it, let it sit till new engines are manufactured?
Parting benefits some people, but forever removes the spirit of the car from the earth.
As time goes by, and rare drivetrain parts get ever rarer, you can expect to see more and more transplanted components onto your beloved sunbeam bodies.
This has an interesting side effect for those of you trully purist at heart.
Much like a 60s Jaguar V12 XKE would not be quite so valuble with the very common chevy V8 engine, correctly maintained and restored alpines will retain the highest values and selling prices, this is the benefit to those with the green and detail to correctness.
Until then, these people still free up a bunch of cheap drivetrain components for the rest of us to fight over.
I'd much rather see a V6 alpine then a pile of body panels at the next CAT swap meet.
Jarrid Gross