Quote: Originally Posted by SSNISTR »
Nope, putting a Jap engine in a muscle car makes no sense, sorry.
Why not? Hot Rodding is all about making something faster. Guys were putting tank motors in cars back in the day. Fords with Chevy's were VERY VERY comming (It actually wasn't until about 20 years ago that it was actually not strange to see a Ford actually in a Ford. The fords simply didn't go in right, didn't run right, etc)
Hot Rodding is all about making something yours. Whether it's speed and putting a powerfull motor in it. Or looks and chopping a top, shaving a few things, etc.
This is no different. Any TRUE Hot Rodder will appreciate this. True Hot Rodders don't care if something is an "import" or a "domestic" IMO. Original Hot Rods were all about finding what you could and making it work. Brands didn't matter, guys had oldsmobile motors in chevy's. Guys had Desoto grills on Mercs, etc. It was about being unique, it was about using what you could get your hands on and making it work. Now with 100 years of automobiles behind us we have A LOT more options in "making things work".
Domestic only guys will hate it; Import only guys, will hate it. But anyone who appreciates all automobiles, appreciates uniqueness, apperciates performance, etc. Has got to love it.
I'm a car nut, i'm a guy that started building an award winning hot rod at 14 (been turning a wrench well before that). Messed around with a few imports later in my teens. I've turned wrenches equally on both sides. I just love cars, I don't care where it's made. As long as it's cool and at the end result does what I want it to do.
Give me a 4 banger, and I'll make it happen. Give me a V8, and I'll make it happen. I love my LS2, but I also miss my old B-series that use to rev out to 10K+.
I know i'm different then a lot of people in my thinkings, but I also know there are a good amount there that just "get it".
I've forever debated putting an SR20 in the Sunbeam Tiger i'm putting together. But, since the price of the Tigers have skyrocketed i'm going to have to find an Alpine later in life to do that. But before that project....old mini cooper w/ a vtec motor

My dad and I just finished a 66 mustang and it's pretty much original, well, with a big 347". Do I hate the FF3 mustang? hell no, I love it!
A little OT, but big props EVS. Love the customization, most people wouldn't have the balls or even begin to have the know how to make something like this work. I constantly laugh when I go to a modern day car show and see the "show cars" that have a bunch of pieces "bolted" on. With absolutely zero actual "custom" work put into them. Slap a body kit on, slap on some wheels, put in a cam and they think they are unique. I had a great conversation with a guy in a vette about all of his "body mods" and complete customizations. I asked him how much of it was fabbed himself, none of it, they were all "off the shelf" pieces.
I remember when I first bought my '55 suburban, all my dads friends were puzzled, why the hell would you buy that to turn into a Hot Rod. Since then there have been guys that have tried to copy it. Once it was done they all "got it". When I was 17 and started building a CRX all my dads friends would laugh, they all had 7-8 second drag cars, and couldn't understand why I'd mess with a stupid little 4 cylinder. Once I was done and they got to drive it, they understood. You will always have haters, or guys that "don't get it" (the post I quoted shows that). All that matters is that YOU DO.
The funny thing is, I always wanted to put a 2JZ in a muscle car, for one cause it'd piss a lot of people off. For two, it'd be completely unique. I am now pissed off at you for doing it first