[Shiesty]

Wish it were as easy as the "good old days" when you could just shoe-horn an engine into the engine bay, connect some wires and fuel lines, and start it up...

Fact is everything is controlled by computer and small deviations can cause the system to not work, go into limp mode, or just give you constant headaches.

That's part of the allure of classic muscle for me. Back when the only computer in the car had their hands on the wheel, back when the hardest question to answer was "will that fit in the engine bay?" If the answer was yes, or "with some hammering and cutting" then you were good to go. Carburetor tweaking and "MOWAH POWAAAHHH" Lol.

 

[Shiesty]

I have great memories of that era - did my share of shoe-horning engines and racing them at the dragstrip.

BUT you can't beat today's cars for their combination of CLEANLINESS (emissions), performance, and economy!

True. The ol' 454 gets about 8 mpg and no creature comforts. It's an engine with seats and a wheel bolted to it, but if you're willing to rough it and pay the cost for fuel you can't beat that rumbling growl and over 400 ft-lbs of torque.