Some approve, some visibly disapprove, most simply don't get it...
There are many people over here that can't understand why you'd want to own and drive a car large enough to have a place in the UN. With the cost of fuel today and the knowledge we have about emissions, it's tough to imagine a time when 2.5 - 4.2 km/l was considered acceptable. But I definitely enjoy driving those old monsters around from time to time, just for the experience. It could be worse, I guess. I could wear a cowboy hat while I drive my gas guzzler.

I've been told there's a fairly extensive safety inspection that imported cars must pass before they're cleared for high speed on the Autobahn. I remember speaking with a US serviceman that had quite a time with a turbocharged Ford Thunderbird years ago. As I remember the story, the inspector or inspectors had the attitude that no American built car was ever going to be safe enough to drive at high speed. Did you face any problems like this with the wagon?

With modern engine design practices, we can say the stock 400 Ford engines have some significant shortcomings. Low compression versions tend to suffer from detonation due to the large quench distance created by running pistons with "below deck" height. :( Computer controlled timing is a big step for these engines and I think I would complement this advancement by adding the knock sensor. If you find yourself considering changes for higher top speed and / or greater economy, consider that the 400 produces peak torque and HP at a fairly low rpm. Installing an overdrive transmission might help take better advantage of the engine's power. I'm not as knowledgeable about Ford products but there may be a non-computer controlled overdrive transmission that will work with the GM computer.