I don't think it's a clone, but the diehard "purists" frown on it.
I am of the thinking that you build a car the way you want it, not the way it will have the most value. The rest of the folks can have a nice day somewhere else. I'm designing my car to please me!!!
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
I think period correct additions like PS, PDB, would realistically add value, as most people buy cars to be driven (at least a little)... like a nomad being worth more as a rod than restored... build your car your way... if its a low mileage original i'd probably leave it, almost like a holy grail, but there are very few cars that fall into that category... many cars have some improvements or mods over time, most people put radials on, etc.etc... theres a lot of groups where 'embellishing' is more acceptable, like the 5-6-7 chevys, where some guys chase all the options and add them... i think you build it the way you want, make it safe and fun to drive, thats the most important thing...
ak
p.s. i guess your question was does it make it a clone... i would say no, depending on what options you add... it would be considered more 'resto-mod' or something if you were merely improving the options for driveability... however if it wasnt an SD and you added those options, then a clone or tribute.... like my car for eg? its originally an SD 283/pg now a 396/3pd so what is it? a non-matching numbers car or a 396 tribute? or both i guess? and since i own it, it doesnt matter!hahaha!
I agree with Andrew. A clone is when you are making your car something it never was. For example: you take a 68 Beaumont Custom and add all the Sport Deluxe emblems, trim, big block, 12 bolt, etc. this would be a clone. Taking a real 68 SD and removing the automatic to put in a 4 speed doesn't make it a clone. My two cents.
BTW I added power steering to my 69 SD. I swapped it over using all original parts that could have been installed at the dealer in 1969. It also didn't have a rear sway bar when it was new but I added a new old stock sway bar and NOS lower contol arms. The dealer could have done this as well.
This is my 2 cents - a rebodied car is a clone.A base model upgraded to a SD without changing any of the numbers on the car is a tribute car.If it is a REAL DEAL 68 SD do all the upgrades you want and it will still be the REAL DEAL.As for swapping out a SB to a BB in a 67 SD I would say it adds to the overall value. As the old saying goes bigger is better.
Do what you want to them, but don't try to sell it off as an original. Replace whatever you want on a car( try to keep original parts) and get out there and drive it!!! As long as it makes you HAPPY, then no one else should matter. If someone wonders why you did this or that, explain to them nicely, that those are great Ideas and why don't they go buy there own car and do them to it. Its hard to be Politically Correct when explaining this though, so Maybe just ignore them(they're jealous) LOL AS LONG AS THE CAR IS THE WAY YOU LIKE IT, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS!
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1960 Pontiac Strato Chief Safari 1960 Laurentian Safari 1960 Laurentian 4door(scrapped) 2001 Grand Am Traded on a '96 Suburban 2WD 2002 Hyundai Accent(SOLD) 1968 Grand Parisienne Scrapped and SOLD
