If your going to clone it, don't half-ass it at the last minute!!

I talked about cloning your dream car a couple days ago and I said don't go hog-wild chasing rare parts to make it "Just like an original."  What I meant was-for example-if you want an an RAIV spec GTO-don't spend a zillion dollars trying to chase down an original RAIV engine, or even just the heads, and intake and exhaust manifolds. Edelbrock makes aluminum heads that are patterned after the legendary RAIV heads, and the "Performer RPM" cam is an exact replica of the RAIV grind. Year one sells reproduction RAIV / 455HO intakes, and Hooker and Hedman sell round-port headers. You'd have all the performance of a Ram Air IV, at a fraction of the cost. Or you could buy aluminum "Cleveland" heads from Trick Flow or Edelbrock and the matching intake manifold that will bolt on to a 302 block and make a clone "Boss 302" engine for your Mustang project for less than the price of an orignal Boss 302 carburator! That's what I meant. However, I have seen clone cars for sale, that I wonder what the hell the builder was thinking.  # 1. I saw a gorgeous 1970 Charger that was a originally a 318 / automatic car that was turned into a Hemi / 4-speed clone. The car had a 465 hp 426 inch Mopar Performance crate Hemi, an A-833 4-speed with a pistol-grip shifter, and a Dana 60 rear end. It was beautifully done, and the asking price was $79,000.  Not chump change, but a lot less than the $250,000 that "original" Hemi Chargers bring. However, it had manual drum brakes on all 4 wheels!!  Who wants a 4,000 lb, 465 hp car with 4-wheel manual drum brakes??  He couldn't finish it right and buy an  $800 front disc brake conversion kit from Summitt or Just Brakes?  For god's sake, if your going to cut corners- then leave it an automatic-it's a helluva lot easier to swap a 727 for a 904, ( change the rear trans mount and front driveshaft yoke ) than it is to convert an automatic car to a 4-speed-you need a bellhousing, clutch assembly, clutch linkage, shift linkage, pedals, and you have to cut the floorboards up to fit it.  Or forget the Dana 60 rear-I have never, ever seen anyone break a Chrysler 8 3/4 rear, and I know a guy that has a 505 inch Duster with nitrous who runs a trans-brake and slicks!!  I don't know about you, but If was going to pay 80 grand for a nearly 500 hp Hemi Charger to live out my "Dukes of Hazzard" or "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry"  fantasies, I'd damn sure want disc brakes!!!  # 2. I saw a gorgeous 1968 SS396 Chevelle for sale for $35,000. It was red with black interior, and instead of a 396, it had a stout 454 backed by an M21 Muncie 4-speed. It also had a 12 bolt posi rear end and front disc brakes.  However, it had no power steering!!  Ever tried to drive or park a Chevy car or truck with a heavy Rat motor up front and no power steering? Not a pleasant experience!!  Again-what was the guy thinking?  Summitt and other places offer new GM power steering boxes-even a 12:7:1 WS6 Trans-Am box-which fits the "A" bodies by the way-is less than 300 bucks!!  With new hoses and a pump / reservoir you'd barely have $500 in the whole system!!  Even if the base car wasn't so equipped, for god's sake-it's not original anyway-at least make it safe and fun to drive and more desirable for a prospective buyer. # 3. I saw a 1969 GTO "Judge" clone that was priced ar $29,995.  It was Carousel Red with the spoilers and stripes, and it even had a Hurst Dual / Gate shifter in the console. However the 400 V8 had a two-barrel carb and intake on it!!  For Christ's sake-he didn't have $600 for an Edelbrock Performer intake and matching carb?  Or he couldn't go to a junkyard and get an iron factory 4bbl manifold and quadrajet carb off any Pontiac built from '67-79 for probably 100 bucks, and then spend another 50 on a rebuild kit and a float for the carb?  Even if the engine and car isn't numbers-matching, and the price reflects that, "Clone" or not, who want's a GTO Judge with a f@#%ing two-barrel on it??!!  Come on, people use your head!!  Mastermind