In many cases, the replicas are technologically superior to the real thing, (and many just have a 4 cylinder Pinto engine in them).

 

At least one of the Pinto engines was quite good, with lots of potential. The first water-cooled engine I helped build was with a friend for his Capri (The Crappy) and it was pretty hot.

 

Yes, the 2 liter engine was pretty bullet proof, but at 100 hp, it was able to propel the 2000 lb car to 60 mph in a blinding 10.4seconds.

 

My wife is out of town for the birth of a Grand for us, the weather had been bad and a rough week at work (remotely) due to outages and human errors.. I could not stand it any longer.
So, Saturday I took the Cat on a 250 mile trek up in the Ga mountains. I was doing my social distancing never stopped except for fuel at the start and stop of my trip, pay at the pump did get 4 nice car comments from afar
Saw a lot of Vettes, BMW, Porches and Jeeps up there, I was the only Jag out. it was a very therapeutic day! Sunday storms and tornadoes again... made me that much more thankful for my Saturday outing.

 

My recollection (it was '81 or so) is that we built it overbored (minimal gain), higher compression, really hot Crane cam, double valve springs, header, and a Weber downdraft setup (32/36? Too much beer under the bridge to remember that). Pretty sure it was balanced too. He spec'd it and we built it together. It revved like crazy and seemed fast to me. I was probably still in my first car: a 1966 Volvo 122S with stock Dual carbs, and rated at 118HP (?). Later I helped him fit some Triumph TR7 seats, which were a big upgrade. It got stolen after he moved to Manhattan, and he later saw its burned carcass beside the LIE, identifiable from the seats.