Originally Posted by
BamaNomad
Roadster: There's not many (if any?) organizations which do a detailed judging of our trifives any longer. AACA still judges all antique car models (including ours), but with so many different cars it's impossible for anyone to be familiar with minute details of all of them (or perhaps even any of them?).. If you progressed thru local AACA, then to regional and finally to National AACA competition in judging, there are likely to be persons familiar enough to deduct points for the 'incorrect' engine, but you'd also GET many points for the correct aspects of your 1955 V8 engine.
That said, my suggestion for you would be to choose "What you want'"...
1) If you want an absolutely factory original car, and Want to do the learning/work necessary to convert your car back to absolute factory originality, and you can afford the cost, and time, then do so. The downside of that approach is.. IF the persons who converted your convertible to a V8 also made 'other' changes to be consistent with that, then the job is not going to be an easy one.
2) IF you LIKE the car the way it is (wtih a V8), then keep it that way. If you want that 'Original' look, then keep/maintain it that way (just as if a V8 came in your car). It already has a 1955 V8 engine in it (and I assume lots of other items to be consistent with that). I suspect you could take it to ANY LOCAL/REGIONAL car show and represent it as 'original' and very few if any persons would examine the VIN plate closely enough to say to you that it had the 'wrong engine' in it... And it's probably worth more $$ with the V8 in it, even if it originally came with a 235 ci engine.
Bottom line: It's YOUR car, so build it for yourself... and those of us here will be very willing to help you in the details and making decisions etc... Good luck!