The idea is to keep all of the buttons the same, just replace the solenoids and vacuum pods with servo motors controlled by a arduino. I could go all out with a LCD screen and what-not, but keeping this thing stock-ish as possible is what i'm after.

That being said, there is something to be said only replacing pods every 25 years. The only thing I forsee is being in a situation where I'm not able to order these things anymore. Coming from the Porsche/VW aircooled world, things just randomly go NLA without notice. Although I keep being told that "people drive these things all over the world", I've seen three and I used to see them on the road all the time.

Just trying to keep options open in hopes it'll help someone.

__________________
Java Developer/Linux SysAdmin

Current:
*1984 300D ~200K,1989 MR2 250K, 2012 Ford Fusion 4.5K (fiance's car to replace the uber-unsafe cavalier)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Past: 1998 Chevy Cavalier ,2005 Saab 9-3 2.0T, 1996 Mazda Protege, 1974 Porsche 914 2.0, 1997 Land Rover Discovery 4.0L/5Speed, 1995 Jeep Wrangler