Options add value, they don't hurt it!! Even if the option isn't "Orignal!!"...

Went to some car shows the past couple weekends and had some interesting conversations. The one that got under my skin was with a guy who had a nice 1969 Plymouth GTX. It was a 440 / 4bbl / Torqueflite model ( The standard GTX powertrain; a 4 speed was an option, as was the 440 / Six-Pack and the Hemi ). It was a nicely restored car. While we were talking he said he loved the car but he wished it was a Six-Pack model with front disc brakes. ( The car had 4-wheel drums. ) Those are both options that are easy enough to add. Summitt and Mopar Performance carry the Edelbrock manifold, the Holley carbs and the linkage and air cleaner. CPP and many other companies offer front disc brake conversion kits for Mopar B-bodies. When I pointed this fact out he responded with words I always dread. "But then it wouldn't be original."  Ugh. I said-"Unless your competing in Concours shows that doesn't matter." " And even some Concours organizations are allowing parts to be the "Original Type". "In other words-a 1969 Z/ 28 can have a 3310 Holley carb on it that you bought at Summitt or Jeg's last week." "You won't lose points if it doesn't have 1969 date codes on it." "They don't expect a car to have a working 48 year old carburator." "And a lot of events like the Pure Stock drag races and some Concours shows are allowing changes that were optional on that model, that year." "Like putting Tri-Power on a '66 GTO or a Six-Pack setup on a car like yours." "The guy that won the Pure Stock drags last year had an L88 Corvette that ran a blistering 11.43." "But it wasn't an original L88 car. It was a 390 hp model, and the engine was built to L88 specs-heads,cam, compression ratio,carb and intake, etc." These show orgainizations are acknowledging that upgrades add to a car's value, rather than diminish it."  He shook his head and muttered those words again. He was fully entrenched in the "Just as it left the factory" brainwash that some pipe-smoking, tweed cap wearing British sports car snob / enthusiast who got into musclecars in the late '80's started. And the effects are still lingering. Like I pointed out to a Boss 302 owner one time-his "Autolite" battery is an Exide battery in a repro case. His Firestone Wide Oval tires are Coker tire repros as well. Will he really lose points or the car be worth less if it has a Fram Oil filter on it instead of a phony Autolite one? ( Genuine Ford Parts have been called "Motorcraft" for 30+ years; the "Autolite" moniker was dropped in the late '70's and sold. That's why you can go to Autozone and buy Autolite spark plugs and wires ). I thought it was sad that this guy wouldn't spend a couple thousand dollars and a few hours labor to make his car exactly the way he wanted it, because some other asshole-who probably can't afford to buy the car if it was for sale-might say something negative!!  Get over yourselves, people!!!  I've said it before, but I'll say it again, because it's true. Adding upgrades, add value. Do you really think if you put a Tri-Power setup and throw a Muncie 4-speed into a '65 GTO that was originally a 389 4bbl / 3-speed car-that a prospective buyer is going to contact Pontiac historical services and get the original window sticker, and then say to you- "I always wanted a red '65 GTO with a black vinyl top and Tri-Power and a 4-speed, and this one is beautiful and runs like a scalded cat." "And the price your asking is eminently reasonable." "But PHS says it was originally green with a 4bbl and a 3-speed." "I'm going to have to pass."  Never in a million years would anyone be that stupid, and if they are, then they deserve to never find a car!!!  Trust me, you'd find someone who would overlook these small changes!!  If you have a '68 Road Runner for sale that has a Hemi in it-do you really think someone buying it is going to read the vin tag and go-" I always wanted a Hemi Road Runner, but this was originally a 383 car." "Damn!" Not going to happen. You laugh because it's funny, but you also laugh because you know it's true. The other sad thing is-I used induction systems and engines and transmissions to drive home the point-but I've heard this shit about absolutely trivial options. Like the guy with a '71 Trans-Am who wanted Honeycomb wheels but wouldn't buy them because the car originally had Rally II's!! Or the guy who really liked the rear window lovers or "Sport Slats" on Mustangs but wouldn't buy a set for his Mach 1 because the Marti report said his didn't come with them from the factory. Ditto for the dumb-ass with a beautiful '68 Firebird who wouldn't put a hood tach on it,because it wouldn't be "Original". My personal favorite was the guy who had a 403 Olds / TH350 1979 Trans-Am that needed a paint job and pointed to a centerfold of a DKM "Macho T/A" in High-Performance Pontiac magazine and said "I love the look of that car." "I'd love to have one of those". "When I said that Dennis Mecham had given his permission to Phoenix Graphics to reproduce the stencils for anyone who wanted to restore a "Macho" or just liked the look, that he could certainly paint his car that way if he wanted to-He looked at me like he'd smelled a rank fart and sneered-"But then it won't be original" When I pointed out that the Real "Macho T/A's" were modified by the Mecham brothers at Mecham Pontiac and then sold to other dealers as used cars-that GM never authorized the package, and wouldn't grant DKM an MSO-a manufacturer's certificate of originality-like they did for George Hurst and the Hurst / Olds-which is why "Machos" weren't allowed to be sold in Colorado and a few other states. If you wanted to verify a "Macho" Pontiac Historical Services couldn't help, you'd have to have to contact Dennis Mecham and see if the car in question was in his records. I jokingly said that I seriously doubted that Dennis Mecham would sue him if he bought the stencils from Phoenix Graphics and put a Macho paint scheme on his car. "Doesn't matter! I'm not going to ruin the value of MY car!". he yelled. I didn't have the heart to tell him that except for the ill-fated '80-81 Turbo 301 models, a 403 powered '79 model is  the LEAST valuable of all second generation T/A's!!! He couldn't lessen it's value if he painted it pink and purple!!  So if you want to add or remove a vinyl top, or add or remove rally stripes or want snowflake wheels instead of Rally II's on your car-then go ahead and do it. And even if it's not a same-year factory option-a '69 SS396 Chevelle is not "ruined" because it has headers on it and a 750 Holly on a Torker intake and Cragar mags and BFG T/A Radials on it instead of Magnum 500's and Coker Wide Ovals!! For God's sake people, build your damn car the way YOU want it, not the way you think you think some other asshole would want it, if or when you ever sell it!!  Mastermind