Tuning a modern car with a computer is 100 times easier than getting a 440-6bbl carburetors to run in the summer and the winter, without dieing in traffic. Been there, done that, aint going back.
Cool to me is beating a $100K European sportscar in a timed sporting event with $10K car, not paying $100K for a piece of art that gets its butt handed to it by a $2000 Craigslist Camry at a stoplight, then slides through the next light because its brakes suck.
My dad and I restored Muscle cars for 30+ years as father/son projects. We’d buy a car for $2K - $7K and restore them to their former glory. Today, Craigslist is full of “better” cars than the “muscle car era” cars, for the same $2K - $7K prices, and in Texas, currently 1989 and Older cars don’t require emissions testing, so you can build a Modern all Aluminum V-8 and put it into a lightweight modern Chassis with real suspension, real brakes, real seats and once again build a car that will beat $100K cars for $10K.
My son and I won’t be restoring any Old school muscle cars (unless some one literally gives me one), but I do see building LS1 6 speed Miata in our future.
I just cant do front wheel drive.