I read the "won't replace it" as regarding the
wiring harness vs the engine which I could understand due to fire hazard, etc..
I'm very familiar with modern engine swaps into vintage Chevrolets that are basically all analog and kits have been develoed over the years ass it became increasingly popular. E.g. complte rolling chassis with LS-3 engine you just more or less drop a 60's Corvette body onto. As stated, with a more mordern car, as a first time attempt the cost would be several times the value of the finished product.
You would be developing a prototype for an end product that is not immensly popular or desired by a ton of people.
The end result would NOT be an "easy to work on modern engine"; you would have an amalgam of "one off", non-mainstream solution of wiring, components, mounting and many compromises and few mechanics would want to mess with it - certainly not a dealer.
HAVING SAID ALL THAT, the
FEM's are repairable and not that bad of an install,
wiring harnesses can also be repaired depending on how extensive the damage is (I've done failry extensive repairs to my 2002 tail light harness). And entire harnesses can be replaced if you find an independent technician willing - the dealer just doesn't wnat to do it I would say.
AS AN ASIDE- this is where a classic car insurance policy is important, nearly all of them will cover you for "AGREED UPON" value - e.g. a value that you and the insurance company agree upon is what determines your coverage (e.g. $18,000 for a 2002 TBird, which is what mine is insured for through the National Corvette Museumr) vs a regular insurance company that provides STATED VALUE, meaning you get a depreciated settlement for your totaled car just like it was a Durango or Camry. I will get $18,000 if my TBird is totaled and the premium is 1/2 of what GEIGO wanted withOUT collission coverage.
