I went the "real" restoration route with my last project - a 1980 Turbo Trans Am WS6. I got very picky about correct parts, colors, decals etc, and I spent 4 years and about $18K.

When I was finished I had a car I did not like. It had no power, the brakes where mushy (despite the 4 discs), the front seats were uncomfortable for long trips and they did not recline. It looked absolutely beautiful and the staightest body I have ever seen. Yet, it was a VERY unpopular model of T/A and I had a terrible time selling the car. I finally got $6,500 for it.

I guess my feelings have a lot to do with why I like cars. I love rebuilding them and DRIVING them.

I entered a few car shows with that T/A and the Mustang GT I had before it. To be honest, I would rather watch paint dry. A car show to me is old after about an hour or 2 when I have seen everything. If you have entered the show - you are stuck there until they hand out the awards. Sorry, but that's me.

So I actually went out looking for my 1st Gen 'Bird to correct all the things I felt I did wrong with the T/A. I was determined to have a real muscle car (less weight, real motor) that looked very cool, handled well and was comfortable to drive.

Now, on the other hand, the modifications I have made or plan are going to be tasteful. It's going to look pretty darn stock from the outside. No wild custom multi-color paint jobs, or flames, or fender flairs...Nothing (I hope) that would cause Pontiac fans to say "OMG, WHY did he do THAT!!!"

I've put on front disk and larger 11 inch rear brakes. I put in an aftermarket tilt steering column painted black to match the original. My front suspension mods won't be noticable unless you crawl under the car. I replaced all the factory paint daubs and added some more based on a modified factory color scheme that I came up with (sure helped putting it back together!) I have purchased some VERY comfy Corbeau seats and had the front and rear seats recovered in close to the original parchment color mimicking the original seat uphostery patterns. I put on 15 inch Rally II's, a Rally gauge cluster, and a factory console clock. All options I wished this car had come with. I've invested in a heck of a lot of NOS parts like the fenders, rad support, pitman arm.... Stuff like that.

I am keeping the original matching 400 engine and other parts like the original front seats for the future in case I swing back into the "total originality" mode. I am also VERY appreciative of those of you out there like Gary and Jim that are TOTALLY faithful and allow the rest of us to still enjoy these cars in there original state.

Have I had twinges of guilt "modifying" a top of the line version of the unique 1st year of a popular car? Yes. Especially since this car turned out to be numbers matching while that T/A was not. I actually went out looking for a less popular 326 or 350 car that I could modify with less guilt, but this car was just too nice to walk away from.

My aim is not to ever have this car judged or to make any money off of it. It will be what I want it to be. There is a PowerPoint note in the windshield that I made 8 years ago - it says "This is NOT a restoration, this is a street machine". And I am certainly having a heck of a lot of fun putting this car back together and I plan for that joy to continue after it's back on the road.

OK, you can flame me now.