Stock vs. Modified - Factory vs. Aftermarket

If you have been following along then you know I'm currently in the process of installing throttle body fuel injection on my 1966 Barracuda. Its not being done from a kit and there is a lot to alter to marry the wiring needed to power and control all the various components to the existing stock harness.

I also had to modify a distributor for the system. Here's where I find the "Great Divide". I already made the mods and went searching through various forums for more info on others who have done similar mods or upgrades to their Mopars. Many have and there are quite a few people using GM ignitors to fire their ignitions, either a full on HEI distributor setup or just an ignition module bolted to a stock Mopar electronic distributor.

Here it gets weird because there seems to be those who feel that anything but components from Ma Mopar are the ONLY suitable part to go on the car. The other side of the argument are the people who are looking for more performance or better fuel mileage from their cars. To the first group, the only ignition upgrade from points ignition that YOU SHOULD EVER DO is to install the Mopar electronic ignition. BECAUSE IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE FACTORY, WHY DO YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE!

Sorry for the yelling, but that's how some of those forum posts get. Below is an exchange between two people from a Mopar forum to show the divide.

All of your grandparents drove these cars with the factory system, for hundreds of thousands of miles....My daily driver truck has the SAME ignition box AND BALLAST RESISTOR it was built with in 76, like 300,00 plus miles, so do what you want, plus, if for some reason it does fail, EVERY parts store in the usa has parts on the shelf to fix it in 10 minutes..I also run a automotive shop, and I can tell ya, them GM modules fail all the time

they also used bias ply tires,drum brakes,points,am radio...etc. 

but i'll take a radial tire, disc brakes, electronic ign and a fm,cd,aux imput radio in my car every day of the week.according to your logic we may as well still be using a horse and carriage.

The first poster is of the camp that makes a big issue that its a GM/Chevy component being installed on a Mopar. BLASPHEMY! But think about it. Who really makes the components for our cars? Does the factory make every component? Who is the company who makes the Electronic Distributor for the Mopars? Prestolite. Who makes the carburetors? Carter. Not Chrysler? Not Dodge? Hmmmmm.

For the 1966-1967 Barracuda, who makes the disc brakes, Kelsey-Hays. Also found on the same era Ford Mustangs. Who makes the windshield washer motor? FoMoCo in some cases. Auto manufacturers will buy various components from various vendors at the lowest cost possible to make their cars as inexpensively as possible. One vendor can supply components to many manufacturers.

The first camp would think nothing about installing a Holley or Megasquirt injection system on their car but who did they copy to make theirs? GM. And GM didn't even make it, they bought it from another vendor.

The purist camp says that its easier to trouble shoot and repair issues on the side of the road with the stock systems, that parts are easily available at any parts store. Guess what? The same goes for the improved ignitions that have been adapted to be used on Mopars. You just have to troubleshoot different components.

The bottom line for me is that I can appreciate all cars no matter how they are built. I'm a "Car Guy". I choose to drive a Mopar but if you have a really nice Nova or Falcon, I will tell you you have a nice car. If you choose to keep your car factory stock or perform upgrades that were only available from the factory that is fine by me.

If you go all in with an Altercation K member, Coil over springs, modern Hemi engine swap, 6 speed manual trans with 4 wheel disc brakes, anti lock upgrade to your 8 3/4 rear diff and full on custom interior, then that's OK too.

But don't bash the up-graders with your purist opinion. And don't ridicule the stock folks for being dinosaurs. Offer the knowledge and experience you have and let the individual decide how they want to perform upgrades or repairs to their cars.

These are cars. This is a hobby. This is not a religion. Have tolerance and understanding for your fellow Car Guy or Gal. "Mopar or No Car" is a great slogan, just don't be to fanatical about it.