Soul Searching no longer, What I've done with my '74 2.0 Options

[flipb]

I bought my '74 2.0 about four years ago, and I've had a great time with it. It's mostly very original, except:

• Monza/Manta Exhaust
• No FI - had Progressive Carb when I bought it, now dual EMPI 40s
• Still original color, but had a mediocre overspray paint job by a PO

It's still the original ride height, and even the seatbelt-ignition interlock is still functional. I'm pretty certain that it's an original, numbers-matching engine. The PO had some decent quality metal rehab done in the longs & hellhole. A few of you have seen it in person. It's a fairly solid, fairly original driver. Odometer is frozen, but I'm guessing it's gone 130K+ miles.

For the past couple years, there's been a bad sound from the bottom end. Not loud, but noticeable to anyone who knows what they're listening for. (I was not among that group until I had a couple people point it out to me.)

Lately, it's been losing more oil -- and it seems to be losing more than what I see dripping on the ground. I'm getting compression/leakdown tested next week, even though I'm pretty sure I know what it'll say.

So I'm stuck with a tough decision:

• Park it -- I do *not* want to do this.
• Drive it til it grenades -- also, not my idea of fun.
• Rebuild the engine -- this leads to a bunch of other choices... carbs/EFI/heads/etc.
• Buy a motor -- also a lot of options here
• Sell it -- seems like a most inopportune time to do so...

I am perfectly happy driving it in stock form. It's just a fun driver. No ambitions about A/X, Concours, DEs, etc. I like the notion of keeping it very stock, but then again, the FI was gone before I bought it anyway. If I'm going to keep it carbed, is it time for a fatter cam? Resale value is a consideration, but not the only consideration.

OTOH, it might be cheaper in the short term to find another engine. Do I split up the numbers-matching engine from the car? Or try to keep it and buy a spare? I'd love to do some driving this summer/fall, but...

...I haven't budgeted for any of this. I can afford to put some money into it (although I'll be dipping deep into the spousal goodwill intangible fund).

I've got a week to decide what to do. Appreciate your input.

Am I overblowing the originality factor?
Is $5K better spent on a rebuild, or a replacement/upgrade?
Is $5K even the right ballpark for either of those options?

Help me get from (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad2.gif) back to (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) without breaking the bank...

[patrick3000]

Post a picture or two so we can have a look at its current condition. The cost effective solution is to source a used engine with good compression and leak down numbers and do a straight engine swap. If you are able to do some of the work yourself this can be completed for under 2K.

Another option is a full rebuild. Peak preformance in Lanham, MD has probably built more type four engines than anyone on the east coast. Tear the engine down to the long block and it is well inside your 5k budget. With there help I did my 912E engine including new Mahle P & C's and a Web cam for under 3K a few years ago. Spent a few extra $$$ on the while your in there stuff but that's another story.