I didn't buy this car as an investment to increase my estate value. The car has a very unique meaning to me that's way more valuable than any resale. So it's not so much a value thing as it is a desire to keep it original and whole, for whatever that's worth. Therefore preserving the block to keep from devaluing the car doesn't mean jack to me. I'd just like to keep the car original while still having it put out more power than stock... 200hp/325tq isn't the kind of thrust I'm accustomed to these days. I'd be much happier with 400hp/450tq with horsepower that peaks just under 5000rpm, so that's what I'm aiming for. I don't want or need more power than that, I have other cars for that stuff.
Having said that, most of the nostalgia of this car comes from my previous ownership of a '78 W72 that had a 988XX block from the factory. So maybe I should just get an old 988 (not XX) casting from somewhere and avoid the chance of having to build an engine twice...
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