very interesting discussion, with valuable points of view on each side... To add my humble piece of thinking: I must admit that, although I enjoy the MKIV specifications and think it's a milestone on its own in the AC history, I also love some of the MKIII particularisms, and especially the interior and dashboard...
apart from keeping it original, I assume nobody prefers the Ford column switches, as well as the heater rotative knobs [B)] ! and the dashboard is the part of the car you look the longer at !
so, I'm stretched between keeping it as original as it can be (and AK1113 is still 99% stock, which was a part of the buying decision), and enjoying it the way I want it ... I don't want a MKIII replica, I just want that MY MKIV looks the way I love it!
as a classic car nut, I know how much keeping a car stock is important, and will be more and more, so the first criteria is that every single modification has to be reversible, and if I ever change to a MKIII dashboard, I'd keep the T-shape one and all the parts on a shelf, to allow me (or any other owner) to go back... but as for the engine, I assume the best thing is to enjoy the car at its best ! regarding stripes, sidepipes and other racing features, I don't like them, because to me, the MKIV is more a 289 sports,as sold by AC, with street features, than a 427 S/C...
to calm the discussion, maybe could we talk about a lightweight dashboard instead of a MKIII [
] ?