I am a dinosaur when it comes to accepting new technology. Sometimes it is due to the higher cost, other times it is because the existing stuff still work fine for me.
I have thought about the benefits of EFI. Power isn't one of the benefits though. Time and time again I have seen dyno tests where a well tuned carburetor makes the same HP with a slight loss in torque. No advantage for EFI.
The guys in cold weather locales tout the cold start advantages. I live in Northern CA where it rarely gets below 30 degrees. The Demon 850 runs okay when cold but great once I am up to operating temperature. Again, no advantage for EFI.
Smart tech guys like Rick Ehrenberg write about the more precise fuel metering and cleaner running. Now you are getting my attention. Better fuel economy on a commuter car is great but the difference between 30 mpg and 35 mpg don't impress meas much as an improvement of 9 mpg to 15. Driving an old carbureted car getting 9 mpg with a 19 gallon tank through Nevada can be nerve wracking. As cars started getting better mileage, those lonely independant gas stations on these desert highways withered away and closed down. Now that we have been restoring and driving these cars so much, there are fewer places to buy gas. A few more miles per gallon is a great benefit.
Also....Everyone here has likely torn down a classic A, LA, B or RB block. These engines were lucky to go 100,000 miles without at least a valve job. The combustion chambers get carboned up, the heads of the pistons had a thick coating of carbon too. Most of this went away once EFI was introduced. Modern engines last longer for a variety of reasons. Closer ring gaps, tighter piston clearance, electronic engine management all factor in.
The thought of having a classic 440 based engine with modern driveability is very enticing. The new cars will never sound as good as a classic car does. Catalytic converters and EPA compliant exhaust systems soften that great cackle we get from a high compression long duration cammed vintage V8. If we can integrate these advancements to add longevity and some economy toour classics, that is surely a good thing.
