We're sort of in the same boat as the guys were 60 years ago with Model T and Model A Fords. It was simpler and less expensive to swap in a flathead V8 instead of going to the effort to salvage and upgrade the 4 cylinder engines they rolled off the assembly line with. Those engines got turned into trucks, tanks, artillery shells, and radial aircraft engines during WW II. Now, even finding one to rebuild in any sort of condition is a challenge. The more of the "obsolete" 216's and spray oiler 235's we can save from the scrappers by doing some modern upgrades, the better. I've even got a Model A 4 cylinder engine on the "to do" list, scheduled to get a set of 283 Chevy V8 pistons and a PT Cruiser 16 valve overhead cam cylinder head!
Jerry
