this is like the coolest thread ever!!!
why? because i'm a cheap s.o.b., that's why! if you compare the cost of conventional speed parts against the conversion costs, there is no comparison. moreover, you should get performance, economy, and improved longevity that simply cannot be achieved otherwise.
i know, it sounds like complete heresy. however, if i can keep my flatty running for another 45 years (assuming i live that long, which is unlikely), who could complain? it didn't make it 20 years in its first life.