I'd rather mod and improve the new stuff. I never said I would buy a new car and leave it alone. I really enjoy learning what can be done with the new stuff. I've messed with carbs, built old V8s, gone as crazy as my budget allows on LS stuff. I love where stuff was, and love where its going.
I have to completely agree about taking pride in what you yourself has done, but I also want to take that further and not make copies of things already done. This is why I love the new stuff, it just opens so many new opportunities.
And while I'm rambling, I think the newer stuff is easier to work on. Sure some cars take al lot to get apart, but the computers make them so much more refined. People just don't want to learn, or are lazy, or just too intimidated that they only want to mess with the older stuff because there is so many people who have done it there is just a ton of info out there to know how. So give me a new car and let me beat my head against the wall figuring it out so I can really have something to be proud of.