Everyone has their own tastes, likes and dislikes. I see old-school guys bash wheels any larger than 15" while some like 20"+ wheels. Some guys like wide tires on back and skinny tires up front....some like them low, some like them stock height. Some guys like the nostalgia of the SBC with a carburetor. Some guys like "patina" which I see as just another "nostalgia" thing.
What I see today is most guys like an old-looking car with modern upgrades and styling cues like larger wheels. I see guys at car shows crowding around the high end modernized cars while almost nobody cares about the restored cars. Pro Street is thankfully just about dead, and has been replaced by Pro Touring. Pro Street was supposed to be a drag car that runs on the street with the big balloon tires and with handling that was worse than anything else on the street. Some guys even tried to drive cars with spools that skidded around a corner. Dumb, imo. Pro Touring has replaced Pro Street and the car has to both go fast, and handle excellent.....a much more balanced view of how a car should be. The high end cars driving the industry trends don't have carburetors....virtually all have EFI. They have big brakes for stopping, updated suspensions and shocks, smaller steering wheels and better and more responsive steering and larger wheels. They're basically incorporating all the new technology into older cars.
To me there's nothing "exciting" about driving a stock 50's car. I guess I'm not very nostalgic because the new stuff is what interests me. I'll never own another car with a carburetor unless it's a fully restored muscle car. And I believe the "patina" thing is just a fad that will pass with time. Just my opinion, and I'm glad everyone doesn't like the same things.