Don't try to emulate magazine project cars- You don't have the bankroll!!

A lot of us enthusiasts read car magazines and often the stuff we buy for our cars is influenced by them. But we can't copy them verbatim, because we don't have an unlimited bankroll and companies like Edelbrock or Accel aren't donating new products to be tested on our vehichles!  You have to realize a lot of these project cars aren't someone's personal ride ( although some are ) their rolling test beds for their advertisers products. A case in point-Popular Hot Rodding's "Project Talledega" a 1975 Laguna done up in '70's Nascar Style. It was finished less than a year ago. The engine they put in it was a snarling, 408 inch solid-roller small-block that pumped out 560 hp. Now they say their putting a big-block in it. Huh? I know what your thinking. 560 hp is enough for anybody, and even with a Rat they'll have a hard time making much more than that in a streetable package. So why do it?  Here's why. A couple years ago when they started the project, Dart had just introduced a new line of Small-Block Chevy high-performance short blocks. They were available in either 372 or 400 inches and with a Dart "Top end" kit-i.e.-heads, cam and intake manifold you basically had a crate engine. They wanted to showcase this engine line in a car. Now apparently, someone has a new big-block package the magaazine and the manufacturer want to showcase. This is nothing new. "Project X", their legendary '57 Chevy that served them from 1962 until it's retirement and internment at the GMPP Museum in 2008, went through numerous small-blocks, big-blocks, four-speeds, five-speeds, automatics, carburators, fuel injection systems, blowers and turbochargers over the years. There's nothing wrong with that. That's how they keep readers interested and sell their advertisers products, which keeps them in business. But "Joe Average"  can't afford to change engines or transmissions or suspensions every six months.  So take these projects with a grain of salt, and plan yours for the long-term. Mastermind