You're right. Simple street diet is the way to go, though SIMPLE has fallen off my radar. LOL.
I've seen some unstylish gutted cars on the street here and they are not fun to drive in.
Usually, unreasonably full gutted cars become a visual and mechanical burden and the owner decides to vacate and sell it off as junk. It ultimately depends what the owner is willing to endure.
Not to at all down grade full all out race cars, I love 'em, but they have their place and purpose. Case in point is that some people I knew went the full route and turned their street cars into full race cars with out ever considering their budget, time constraints, maintenance and atmosphere and then got overburdened enough to sell and eventually return to street cars.

Race cars are a breed of their own, though they were amazingly cool to see at the street haunts back in the day. Sought of an animal out of its cage and comfort zone.