<VV> "Improved" over stock

[Charles Fregeau]

This discussion started before the first Model T's hit the roads in the Fall
of 1908.  Modifications have been very popular over the years.  I've seen a
lot of Model T's with a Ruckstell two speed rear axle, for instance, which
was definitely not stock.  If you come down to it, both Fitch and Yenko
modified stock Corvairs.   And where do you think all those 'Deuce' coupes
came from?  Cars that were well used and pretty well worn out got a second
life when the kids came back from WW2 and there were few cars to be had
until about 1950.  So they went to the scrap yard and started putting
together what they could find. If you recall the words to Surf City, the guy
is singing about what was then already a 30 year old car.  

I wish we'd had the money to modify our 62 coupe and keep it going longer.
New valves and Viton O-rings at least, if not a new floorpan to weld in
instead of the fiberglass patch that was all we could afford to do in those
days.  Only car I remember us having to have the valves ground.  And a
proper fix to whatever damage that vandal did to the oil pan and the
transmission.

I do appreciate stock cars, too.  But man by his inherent nature is a
builder, an improver, and good enough isn't good enough for a lot of folks.
I've seen a lot of early Chevy II's that lost their 194 + Powerglide for a
350 +THD for instance. 


Charles Fregeau
Ex 62 700 coupe aka Tadpole.