Your not "Ruining" a car by upgrading it.....

Had some more people talking about "Factory Freaks" and asking if you'd hurt their value by upgrading some options. Like I said-their not rare or collectible-their just weird. For example-although you could get a TH400 in "Big" cars from 1965 on, If you had an automatic in a 1964-66 GTOs,Chevelles, Cutlass / 442s, and Buick Skylarks all had ST300s. ( A BOP bolt-pattern two-speed Powerglide ). The TH400 wasn't offered in a GTO, 442, SS396, or GS400 until 1967. However, the upside is a TH350 is the exact same size as a Powerglide / ST300 and even uses the same U-Joint and rear trans mount. So you could literally bolt in a TH350 and drastically improve your car's performance. You can even use the stock shift linkage, but you won't be able to manually engage low gear. However with a good B&M or TransGo shift kit that won't be a problem either. And don't worry-TH350s are incredibly tough-they can handle up to 450 hp easily, which is the high end of what a 389 Pontiac, 400 Olds or Buick or 396 Chevy can make anyway. My brother has a TH350 in his '69 GTO behind his 400 that has the Edelbrock Torker II package on it. Edelbrock claims 402 hp and 430 lbs of torque with this package. He's drag-raced it incessantly for five years and never had a problem. So unless you've got a mega-hp engine in your GM car-you don't really "need" a TH400. The same goes for three-speed sticks. GM, Ford or Mopar-your actually increasing the value and performance of the car by swapping in a 4-speed. If you put a Tri-power setup on your '66 GTO or a "Six-Pack" setup on your '69 Road Runner you've greatly increased it's "Curb Appeal" as well as performance even though it's not "Original". If you put junkyard or aftermarket front disc brakes on your '68 Chevelle-you've increased it's value, not decreased it. If you put a 4bbl carb and intake on your 2V 351C Mustang or Cougar it's not worth any less. Who really cares if you put "Snowflake" wheels on your '77-79 T/A-even if it had Rally II's stock?  Even changing engines-no one cares if you buy a 350 Firebird and swap in a 400 or 455, or if you take a 318 Challenger and swap in a 340 or a 440. It always amazes me-people are so worried about what the car will be worth if or when they sell it, that they can't enjoy it. I mean, did you marry your wife because you thought she'd give you an easier divorce than other women you dated?  Really?  Mastermind