STOCK OR NOT?

IN READERS’ Rockets in our May ’16 issue we featured SM snapper Nathan Jacobs’s cool grandpa-spec XB Fairmont sedan. It’s an alloriginal car running the factory 302 Clevo, so other than adding an Edelbrock Performer inlet, electronic ignition, and treating it to a lowering job, Nath hasn’t been keen to mess with it too much. But we were wondering what you guys would do, so we asked the question on Facebook: Should Nathan modify it further, or leave it close to stock?

Mitchell Warburton – Close to stock as possible – on the outside. Make the inside of the engine bay a warhead! Clan-of Staisch – As boring as it may seem, leave it stock. Get two, and keep one stock to trailer the modified-to-the-hilt version around. Steven Mitchell Mulcahy – Never! Stock is boring. The stock body and interior is cool-as, but I’d be running a turbo Barra/powerglide combo, mini-tubs with widened rear steelies, and a ’cage/harness (because I’m not that silly!). Weston Wright – Everybody knows what a stock XB looks like. I mean it’s nice but if you know what you’re doing, modify it. Cara Beacham – Leave it stock. There are so many modified cars out there today the original ones will always hold their value more. Kids of the future need to know what these cars looked like from factory too! John Brandt – It’s a bit like Harleys – a stockstandard one will always be worth more than one of the same model with half the Screamin’ Eagle catalogue thrown at it. Josh Stevenson – Put a big bad Barra in it. Jason Hexty Hext – It’s his personal choice. In my younger days I would have gone stupid and modified it to suit myself, but now I like to see cars restored to as close to original as possible. Kan Tin – Why ruin a perfect piece of full Aussie metal art? I tip my hat to you bloke! John Brandt – God yes, people in the future need to see what cars were actually like, and trust me, a nicely kept original will attract far more attention in years to come than ‘just another modified car’. Robert Shepherd – Close to stock is good. A few modifications and modernisations to make it comfortable for a cruiser, but other than that, it’s nice as it is. Tony Sander – The best bit is that Nathan has made some useful and tasteful mods without trashing the grandpa-spec vibe. Beautiful car. Peter Chronis – Leave it stock, because unless he changes the colour and takes the vinyl roof off, nothing will make it look good. At least now he can blame Ford or the first owner if it was ordered like that. Nice honest car. Paul Kelly – Perfect just as it is. Mess with something that original and you deserve to drive a Camry for life. Mark Cain – Life’s short! Put some muscle into it. We’re all gonna die; have fun! Justin Proctor – Keep it looking the way it is but cram a Jon Kaase 598ci in it. Neil Broxton – Put an LS1 in it! Mark Munnerley – Tub it and big-block the thing. Mitchell Duke – Keep it looking stock but go retro-tech: XR6 conversion, driveline and all. Adam Phillips – Stock is the new modify.