[HS PROFESSOR]

[ QUOTE ]
i would not risk an original matching #'s block, or 4 speed, set it aside and have some fun.

[/ QUOTE ]

I SURE WOULD AND STILL DO !!! Years ago "1994" I had my 69 charger R/T out for the Muscle car show and go.I won the car show,Editors choice award,Best body/paint award,And even went 5 rounds to win the "go" part of the event.I brought home four, three foot trophys that day and got my car into the march of 1995 issue of muscle cars magazine.Front cover too!!Jeff Koch took all the photos and did a little interview for the article,and in the end asked why i raced and abused such a nice car.My words were,and appeared in the magazine article......IF YOU CANT KICK IT DOWN...WHATS THE SENSE OF OWNING IT !!! I know muscle cars today are a very valuable investment,but just remember.....they are MUSCLE cars. I laugh at people who pet and baby there cars like a dog, maybe i'm wrong but in my eyes.....any car i have....better be able to withstand some smokey sideways burnouts.And in case your thinking I'm an ass. Maybe i am, but i enjoy the crap out of every car i own.And i have no regrets....not even totaling my 69 SS 396 CAMARO CONVERTIBLE just 2 years ago.12k worth of damage. Insured properly and i had it repaired in less than 5 weeks.Nicer and faster than it was before.Boy that car did/does great burnouts!!!

Back to the original question......Keep the good ones stock !!! Modify/clone/customize the base models.It should be a unwritten law.