I think we might all be missing the entire point here.
The point is not that it's better than a T1 Speedster. It's heavier, it's more complicated, it's a cross-pollinated aberration.
The point is that it's a stick in the eye for the stuffy and self-important cult of personality that has grown up around european cars. If it were mine, I guarantee I'd be flying a headshot of Larry, Curly, and Moe out where the Pegasus normally goes.
I love the lightweight Mighty Mouse ethos of a well-thought out replica, but we've all been fattening them up for market out in the feed lot for years. Nobody ever gripes about a 6-cyl Porsche engine behind the seats, and it's a heavier proposition. Everybody waxes lyrical about a Subaru EJ2X, and it's a boat anchor back there. Marty's car had power seats.
This thing is loud and proud. It is quintessentially 'murican. It's got a big honkin' motor. It's uncouth, fast, and just slightly obnoxious (in the best sort of way). It's the metalhead version of a light and airy symphony. It's country music in a Parisian cafe.
I suspect this is the larger problem. However, there's zero issue for this corn-fed white guy with fingers like small sausages and well-worn work boots out here on the rim of nowhere. I've been a lot of places in this world, and I'm not fooling anybody - I'm a bit like country music in a Parisian cafe. I've got no problem owning it.
As far as the 80 h/p thing - that's a bit like saying a VW engine only has 45 hp. There's a world of go-fast stuff for these things too. If that mill can't be made to make 180 hp, I'll eat my hat. All the normal tricks (heads, cams, etc.) would make this bad-boy scream.
You did (of course) notice the part where it has no top at all, right?
