The "Just as it Left the Factory" shit is worse than a Gypsy curse.....

Had an argument the other day with a guy who spent $99,000 on an SD-455 Trans-Am. He asked about increasing it's performance. I said the main thing would be to add some Hooker Round-Port headers and full dual exhausts. Everyone knows the awful "crossflow" muffler system of '70-'74 Firebirds cost the big 455HO and SD 'Birds at least 25 hp, with the stock manifolds. For example- the RAIII was rated at 335 hp in the T/A and 366 hp in the GTO- a difference of 31 hp. The RAIV was rated at 345 hp in the Firebird and 370 hp in the GTO- a difference of 25 hp. 1971 drag tests bared this out. '71 455HO powered GTOs were nearly 1/2 a second quicker in the 1/4 than 455HO T/A's because they had a full dual exhaust system instead of the 2-into-1 "Crossflow" muffler of the F-bodies. And that was with stock iron manifolds. With headers and re-jetting the carb richer to compensate for the improved exhaust flow, headers and a 2 1/2 or 3 inch true dual exhaust system could add as much as 50 hp to a healthy 455 powered '70's F-body. I also suggested using 1.65:1 rockers to bump lift on the RAIII cam from .414 to .455-within a hairsbreadth of the RAIV's .470, and installing a shift kit in the TH400. I said these simple mods could easily drop him into the low 13s with the stock 3.23:1 or 3.42:1 gearing, and if he wanted to go for 3.73:1 or 3.90:1 gears he could probably get in the 12 s pretty easily, and keep the car more or less basically stock. He was mortally offended. "I didn't spend 100 grand on a pristine numbers-matching car to modify it!!" he sneered in a snotty email. Really?? Then why did you ask my advice on how to make it go faster? What the hell did you think I was going to say? Run premium gas in it? Bump the timing? And honestly-again-I've said it a thousand times-why do people care so goddamn much about what a car will be worth if and when they sell it? If he did want to sell it-is a potential buyer going to go-"Gee, bud-the car is pristine and low-mileage and numbers-matching and one of 731 ever built, and certainly worth the money, but those headers ( even though you have the original manifolds ) and the shift kit and 3.90:1 gears ( even though you have the original 3.23:1s ) is  a real freakin' deal breaker, sorry, I'll have to pass." Like Mike Myers said in "Wayne's World" "NOT!!!".  Get over yourself!!!  If you put a Holley or Edelbrock Carb on a Boss 351 in place of the awful Autolite 4300, you've done the world a favor!!!  If you put a Hurst Competition-Plus shifter in an SS396 or 454 Chevelle in place of the awful Muncie unit, you've done the world a favor!!!  99.999% of people get that!!! So don't worry about offending .0001 % of possible buyers, if or when you ever decide to sell your prize car!!!  Are we clear on that? Mastermind