I would argue this. Consider the L88 corvette engine. First manufactured in 1967 with a BHP rating of only 430 but more likely outputting 560 HP. Now lets assume that a couple of the corvettes and camaros that housed these engines rolled over and the cars were destroyed. The engines were saved and put in storage much like a Major Havoc whose monitor died and was converted or destroyed. The L88 was gone before most realized how rare or special they were, just like Major Havoc. Fast forward to the present. What's the point of having a couple rare engines or boards sitting on a shelf somewhere in storage. The L-88 was meant to be run and Major Havoc was meant to be played. So why not transplant them into a new body.
Likewise, only 20 of these engines were produced and owning one is out of most peoples means just like the MH is out of most collectors means. But one could probably buy a bare block to build up from scratch. And bodies can be reproduced. So if its a way for people who could not otherwise afford one to experience what can only be described as something fantastic, who could fault someone for trying to recreate it.
The rub is this. Its entirely possible (although unlikely) for someone assembling a single engine/car or a single Major Havoc from scratch to assemble one that is more perfect, true to blueprinted specs, and impressive than the originals with their own two hands. Is it worth more? An emphatic NO! Does it mean more to the owner/builder who displays it with pride to all of his friends and family or anyone else who will listen. I would think it would definitely be yes. And he can build it at his own leisure without having to pony up 5K at one time. And look at Tron. The game was played to death in its day. Most surviving cabs look pretty ragged out, but if they have the phoenix full art package, most can look exceptional.
But hey, that's just my 2 bits.
