The path of most resistance...Again...

For some unknown reason, gearheads seem to think that some things are somehow better if their hard to do. Not true. I went to the school of  "Take the path of least resistance" and "Work smart, not hard". I bring this up because of a couple conversations I had this past week. A guy had bought a '65 Olds Cutlass ( not a 442 ) and wanted to trick it out. He had a bunch of ideas he'd pulled out of magazines, and they were all bad. When I say bad-I mean they'd be hard to do, very expensive, and might not deliver the "Bang for the Buck" he was looking for. The first was the powertrain. The car was a 330 V8 / ST 300 model. He had this article where someone had gotten a 350 Olds Diesel Block and bored it out and used a cut-down 425 olds crank, and 455 Buick rods, a ton of custom machine work, and custom pistons, etc, etc and got 440 inches. I suggested instead of trying that-he just buy a 455. The 455 was used in practically every Olds model from 1968-76, and in many medium-duty GM motorhomes in the late '70's and early '80's. There are literally millions of them out there. If you can't find a '73 Olds Delta 88 or a '76 Toronado  with a 455 in a junkyard or someones garage-you aren't looking past the end of your nose. Instead of spending all that money on machine work boring and stroking a Diesel block-a 455 with some Edelbrock Heads, a Torker Intake, and W30 cam would kick ass for less than half of what he'd spend on the stroker 440 and probably be more reliable. Or if he wanted to go really low-budget I told him to get a 403. They were used in millions of GM "big" cars-in the late '70's-Olds 88's and 98's, wagons,Buick Rivieras, Electras, and Park Avenues, Pontiac Catalinas and Bonnevilles,and Trans-Am and Formula Firebirds. And they are a direct bolt-in swap for a 330 / 350. A set of headers, an Edelbrock Performer intake and maybe a mild cam would really "wake up" a 403. 73 extra inches would certainly add a lot of power and torque for very low bucks. I also suggested swapping the ST300 for a TH350. TH350's are the exact same length as an ST300 / Powerglide and use the same rear trans mount and driveshaft yoke. It, too would literally be a bolt-in, and the 3-speed, 2.52 low geared TH350 would offer a stunning improvement in performance over the 2-speed, 1.76 low-geared ST300. I suggested that the 403 / TH350 swap would be easy, cheap and offer a huge improvement in performance. Like talking  to the wall. He continues trying to sell me on the stroked-out 350 diesel block, and asks how much trouble it would be to put a Tremec 5-speed in it!! More than it's worth I say-you'd have to chase down clutch linkage, pedals,get a  different crossmember and rear trans mount, a bellhousing, cut a whole in the floorboard to mount the shifter, etc. And since 350 Diesels were never offered with a stick in any GM car or truck-where are you going to get a flywheel? You might be able to use a gas 350 Olds flywheel-but Olds hasn't sold a car with a 350 and a manual trans since 1974. Where are you going to find a usable 44 year old flywheel?  I don't think Schiefer or Ram or anyone makes aftermarket 350 Olds flywheels!!  I implored him to take my advice and do the 403 / TH350 swap or even a 455 / TH350 swap. Then he starts talking about upgrading the suspension and brakes. He's bringing up Global West this, and Detroit Speed and Engineering that and rack&pinion steering and Brembo and Wildwood, blah, blah. Stop I say. Go to a junkyard and get '70's Camaro / Firebird spindles and the 11 inch rotors. They are literally a bolt-on. Also get the calipers, hoses, and master cylinder and booster. For very low bucks, you'll have front disc brakes that perform flawlessly. I also suggested getting the steering box from a mid-'80's WS6 Trans-Am. I even looked up the part number. This box has a 12.7:1 ratio, and will fit all GM "A" "F" and "G" bodies from 1964-87. I also suggested getting the sway bars from a '70's T/A-they will bolt onto the "A" bodies, and give a stunning improvement in handling. I also suggest getting the sway bars from a '70's Gran Prix or Monte Carlo-they too would be a direct bolt-on and improve handling immensely. Nope. He's determined to take on this project that will suck the life out of him, drain his bank account, and probably cause him to sell the car unfinished. Why?  Just because something is possible, doesn't mean you should attempt it. We know manned space flight is possible, but it isn't cheap or easy!!  The other was with a guy who had bought a '70 Javelin and wanted to do it in Trans-Am style like Mark Donohue's racer. Minilite wheels are still available, and the red,white and blue paint job is easy enough. Now the problem. Again-the powertrain. The car is a 304 / Automatic. I suggest going to a junkyard and getting a 360 out of a Jeep Grand Waggoneer. There's millions of them. I point out that the 360 will be a direct bolt-in, and have substantially more power and torque than a 304-that I read at the engine masters challenge some guy had a 360 AMC with Edelbrock Heads and a hot cam that made something like 430 hp and 450 lbs of torque. First he asks if I'm recommending an engine swap why didn't I suggest a 401?  UGH! Because, I gently say the 401 has been out of production since 1978-that's 40 years-and they were pretty rare back then. By contrast-the 360 was used in millions of Grand Waggoneers up until 1993, and are still plentiful in boneyards. What about hopping up the 304? he asks. "Why?" I say-your not running in a racing class where the limit is 5 liters-and a 304 will cost just as much to build as the 360, but won't have nearly as much power." Then he asks about converting it to a 4 or 5-speed. UGH. "Just sell the car, and find another Javelin / AMX that has a 343 / 360 / 390 / 401 and a 4-speed from the factory." "No really." "No, REALLY." I say. "Converting any automatic car to a stick is a sonofabitch-you have to buy the clutch, the transmission, the bellhousing, the clutch linkage, the pedals, the crossmember, the rear trans mount, the shifter, etc etc." "And that's if it's something popular-you know like a '70's Camaro or Chevelle, or Mustang or Dodge Challenger-where all that stuff is readily available." "Where in the hell are you going to find all that shit for a Javelin?" "Chances are you won't, and even if you do it's going to be major-league expensive, and a pain in the ass to do." "Trust me, you'll go plenty fast with the 360 / Automatic combo."  "What about fabricating a hydraulic linkage?"  Arrrrgggghhhh!!!!  I feel like the dictator from "Team America". "Why is everybody so fu$%*ing stupid??"  Why can't they embrace the KISS principle-"Keep It Simple, Stupid".  Mastermind