I'm well aware that i'm in a minority!
I've been modifying cars since my first in 1970, a '56 ZA Magnette with a 1942cc uprated MGB engine. Nowadays, such antics are regarded as sacrilege, but then I was just hotting up an old car in my relentless need for speed on a tight budget.
In a lot of ways, the 16 year old me is still here and thriving despite (or possibly because of) a lifelong lack of money!
I don't build cars the way I do to be controversial, I make what I want to suit myself, I build a car that I want to drive (the true purpose of a car!) and I love the feeling I get when I look at my creation and a) think "I did that!" and b) the silly grin that lights up my face when I fire it up every morning, even if i'm only driving to work!
But, by the same token, I would never start with a low mile, long history, matching numbers, near perfect original car like Murdo's, mainly because I wouldn't be able to afford it in the first place! But also because I do have a sense of history! However I don't think the tiny number of modified cars has any real impact on the largely standard majority. Some people, (and i'm not referring to anyone here) need to get a sense of proportion!
On less heavy duty mods, I keep an open mind. To a large extent, it depends on the uses the car will be put to. If all you are going to do is polish it and transport it on a trailer to shows for the purpose of winning silver (something that, to me, is total anathema, but it's a free country, allegedly) then keep the points and the sealed beam units, have everything spot on original and good luck in the pot hunting! If, on the other hand, you want anything resembling a daily driver, then do what you need to do to address the cars weaknesses, electronic ignition is a no brainer, uprated lights replace low powered, obsolete and difficult to obtain sealed beam units, don't forget the relays to save the feeble and increasingly rare and expensive dipswitch, fit TJ brakes so the poor thing will stop quicker than the idiot in front of you, blueprint the motor for better performance, longer life and improved fuel efficiency, even get EFi if you can make it work, better seats so your back is not crippled on long journeys.The list is endless and it's nothing the factory wouldn't have done if they had access to today's technology back in the 70s. At the end of the day, it's horses for courses! And to my mind, your car still looks like a Dolomite, at least from the outside and pretty much still drives like a Dolomite, just better and more reliably. It's still a Dolomite - and every one saved is a bonus!
We all do this because we are individuals. We like doing something different from the herd. Like it or not, we are touched with the true British eccentricity. Any of us could buy a cheap 10 year old car that would be quicker, more reliable, more fuel efficient, safer and cheaper than our Dolomites. But we don't, because cars like that are white goods and we are car enthusiasts. Individuals rarely agree, that's why we have threads like this, but one thing we all agree on is the need to preserve and enjoy our individual cars. Long may it continue!
Steve
_________________ '73 2 door Toledo with Vauxhall Carlton 2.0 8v engine (The Carledo)
'78 Sprint Auto with Vauxhall Omega 2.2 16v engine (The Dolomega)
'72 Triumph 1500FWD in Slate Grey, Now with RWD and Carledo powertrain!
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