I'm sorry, but I will never understand this attitude. Where exactly is it carved in stone that you cannot enjoy your car, while being aware of this things that affect its value?

I had custom Corvettes in the 70's and 80's. Custom paint, chrome motors, custom wheels. Drove the heck out of them. However, I never made a change or improvement without taking into account how it might affect the value of the car. This is called being a smart person. Why must I justify protecting my investment?

There is no dramatic, imaginary honor in acting like you don't care how much your car is worth. I spent a large amount of money on my house. As I continue to invest in it, I consider how purchases affect its value. Ive spent very large amounts of money on my Corvettes over the years. And, with every original, repro, date-coded, or non-stock item I consider for my cars, I consider the effect on the car's eventual value and resale. This is not being a bad person. It's being a smart person.

I drive the heck out of my '58, my '69 and our '03. I do not hesitate to put miles on any of the cars in fear of lost value; the cars wouldn't be worth anything to me if I did. I have actually sold a couple Corvettes over the years that I thought were "too nice" and I didn't feel comfortable driving. But I sure do not see the perspective that says I have to choose between enjoying my cars AND keeping my investment dollars in mind. That's just common sense.

 

You can't prove an original car though. There's not a number and record kept for every little nut and bolt, so thats just rediculous. Then there's all the equipment that is meant to wear: tires, wiper blades, shocks, etc.

And who says you have to use it to enjoy it? Thats such a personal bias. My vette is sitting up on blocks right now with the engine torn out of it, and I'm still enjoying it.

I don't know why there is a problem here, to each their own.

 

This has been an enjoyable thread to read. It has enlightened me on how some of you view this topic.

I have owned eight '70 to '72 model Corvettes. Six were big blocks. Five of the eight were repainted in a different color from the factory's original selection. One '70 had an engine transplant, one '71 had engine modifications, one '72 had interior changes. I have enjoyed owning and driving all of them over time. The two '71's that I currently own are my favorites, because I tend to like the rare high performance factory ordered optioned 'vettes the best. As such I enjoy them in their as factory built condition, because so few were built to begin with, comparitively speaking to other model Corvettes, that you normally do not get to see other examples of these very often.
I originally started out trailering the cars to shows/events for several years, I have since sold my trailers and now drive them often. One has 39,497 miles on it, while the other has 60,013 miles on it. My tastes still run toward the rare high performance equipped 'vettes, however with prices where they are, it's doubtful I will spend the money to acquire anymore, unless an unbelievable bargain falls into my lap.
To answer the original posters question....in the old days "matching numbers" meant original drivetrain to the car, but now the meaning has been skewed and I no longer assume that to mean 'original born with' drivetrain components.

 

No, and I still think that the matching number theory is there to make some people rich.

 

I have a mostly original '68. Numbers on all the "important" parts match. If it was a completely original numbers matching beast I'm not sure I would drive it as much as I do. I don't want a trailer queen. When I replace a part I try to keep it as close to original as possible. It never sees bad weather and I keep my mileage down to about 1000-1500 a season.

But if I get another C3, I wouldn't mind it being a crate engine 5-or-6 spd manual car with whatever parts I can get from Autozone to make it an exceptionally nice driver that I could drive coast-to-coast and not worry about anything.

All told, I think we all love our Corvettes. Only when they get finnicky do they aggravate us. But that is true no matter what motor driven device we own. Heck, I doubt that there's anyone on the Forum who wouldn't like to have a bunch of Corvettes to choose from each day or night to get in and go. If only 6 numbers would match up for me...

 

...this is why I have my Silver '75 the way I want it to be. I deleted the A/C, the Turbo 400 automatic(changed it to a 4spd T-10 car), the A.I.R., the catalytic converter exhaust system(wasn't one there when I bought it anyways), the hood air door, the E.F.E. system, the fuel tank bladder, etc., but it's the Corvette I drive and enjoy the most. As for my very, very original '68 Silver coupe and my '74 Orange coupe(both NCRS Bowtie cars), I choose to "preserve" those cars in an "original state" because I bought them that way. My '68 Blue convertible looks stock, but it's slightly modified having a Hurst shifter, radial tires and no smog set-up.

 

I've owned my 69 427/390hp Coupe for the past two years. The car was purchased from an old friend who had owned it for the previous 14 years. The car had 69,867 miles on it when I bought it from him. It now has 71,255 miles on it. The P.O. had a bill of sale from a Chevy dealer where he got the car that showed 58,xxx miles on it 14 years ago. He averaged about 900 miles per year. I've driven it less than 700 miles a year. He also went to the trouble of researching the numbers on the engine, cylinder heads, transmission, rear end and the glass. All have dates that are consistent with the car's build date of October 15, 1969 (it's a late build car from the strike year). I would challenge the assumption that, because the car is 39 years old it couldn't be numbers matching and it couldn't have less than 100K miles. A lot of these cars were purchased by people who used them as weekend drivers and had other cars as daily drivers. They did what I did yesterday. They drove them to work occasionally and they drove them for recreation. I've got three cars at my disposal. I drive the Vette least of the three. My other vintage car is a 69 Mustang convertible which I bought from an old lady nine years ago with 87,xxx original miles. They're really out there if you look.

 

When the white ZL-1 was featured in Muscle Cars Magazine in the spring of 1986, The person who wrote the article said the paperwork showed the engine as L88. He guessed that it may have been converted by the dealer. The writer also said that since the original owner bought it with about 100 miles on it as a new car from a Chevrolet dealer, it must be considered a genuine ZL-1 car.
If it had been painted blue with 100 miles on it, would that now be the original color?

 

Big Block 69,

Very good analogy. I read and have that same article. Good call.

 

My 73 is pretty much a "barn find". Original owner clocked it to 44000 miles, trashed the brakes and parked it. Sat until he died then it was sold to the second owner who kept it in his garage for years and never drove it due to the rings freezing themselves onto the cylinder walls for lack of use and proper care. Then I got it. Still 44000 on the clock, matching numbers, all original equipment, etc. (The guy needed money in a bad way) To show you how much I don't care about matching numbers, originality and such- all new suspension, poly bushings, only original part engine wise is the block itself and maybe the alternator bracket. I got it to drive it and I like to have enough power to fry the rubber off at will whenever I want to. My thought on a cars value is not based on numbers but on quality. Obviously the folks that can afford to pay 100,000.00 for a #s matching rare shark would seriously disagree with me as many would. Yes, you can find a low mile classic. What you choose to do with it from there depends on what your intent is.

 

Like everything else, what something is worth is what someone is willing to pay for it. My favorite car of all time is the 1967 Vette Roadster-427. Do I wish I owned one, yes. However, I would never pay more than 20k for one so it looks like I'll never get one. It surprises me when I see a 40 year old Vette sell for more than a brand new Z06. If I won a contest and had a choice between the '67 Roadster and the new Z06, I'm afraid I'd have to go with the new one.
How many people in here would pay 1 million dollars for a $5 baseball? Guess what, there are a few knuckleheads in the world that will. That doesn't mean that all $5 baseballs are worth 1 million.
I have no problem with the "original" or "match crowd". We are all into our cars for different reasons and I know the guys here on the Forum are ALL true Vette guys. I just don't like to see rich guys buy up all the classic ones for the sole purpose of trying to make a profit. I'm positive that none of these guys are on the Forum anyway.

 

I can't diagree with the point that the modern C6 Z06 would be a much better driving experience than the 67 427 roadster. I find my C3 to be a fairly uncomfortable car but I love the noises that big block makes. Still, you have to consider that spending the same amount on a new C6 vs a desirable and correct classic is a totally different investment. The C6 will depreciate the day you drive it off the showroom floor. It will probably begin to appreciate at some point in the future, but at my age, I probably couldn't wait that long. The 67 roadster would never be worth less than what you paid for it (assuming you got a fair deal) and would continue to appreciate for the duration of your ownership. And the 67 roadster would still be fun to drive.

 

I'm positive that if I had a '67 Roadster it would only take about a month before my wife ran into it in the driveway with her Yukon!

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the C2's. I think if I had a collector one, I'd be on pins and needles every time I drove it. My wife got rear ended in our new Denali 2 weeks ago and some jerk backed into the side of my truck last month. If that happend in the '67 I wish I had, I'd have to kill somebody resulting in prison, soap on a rope, etc...

OK, I changed my mind, when I win tonight Ca Lotto, I'm going to BG and getting one!.....Lifes to short....gp

 

 

I Think this thread is laughable and to watch what appears to be alot of older guys (i'm one at 44) and youngers guys argue about #'s mahtcing and stuff is funny

It's like my dong and ******* are better then yours because they're both stamped and have matching #'s

I happen to be the 3rd owner of my Vette (65,000 documented miles) and I got it from a guy who happened to live lovally but kept it parked down the Jersey shore and it was in dire need of a paint job and while she still had her original block and trans, I could really care less because as a kid I wanted a Vette that year and as an adult I was able to.

I love the car, could care less if the numbers match and while it is important to others, that's all well and fine but I wouldn't go crazy and spend a ton of money getting original this or that because who besides the owner would really nor or care?


The majority of kids out there would look as if you were speaking Chinese if you told them you had a #'s matching care anyway

I recently needed 2 headlight retaining rings and found a pair that fit an Impala and I paid $4.00 for it as opposed to the ones they sell in Ecklers for $10.00 per.

I think if you've got money to burn and are extremely **** about it? good on you.

Quit bitching and get out and enjoy your ride...........isn't that what it's all about?

 

Match or no match,if it makes you happy when you drive it, and you get thumbs up from everyone you pass, accept for the jelouse guy in the mini van with 4 screaming kids, and a drill instructor for a wife, looking at you driving your cool car, and he wants to run you off the road, or get in front of you and hit his wipers to clean his wind shield for no reason accept to ruin your fun.

My opinion is that if it's original preserve it, and if it's not do what you want. It's still a corvette! just don't butcher it please.

 

Nice color

 

The only guys who ever argue are the numbers zealots telling everyone they're going to burn in hell for even thinking about doing something non-factory to their car. I appreciate restored originals, survivors and rods...I happen to be building my car the way I want it because trying to restore my 77 L48 from the Bubbaization it suffered would be the height of both insanity and stupidity.

 

Ummm, you seem to have forgotten the numbers matching 78 Vette that your wife has parked next to yours, yes, the one with only 50,779 ORIGINAL miles. All you need to do is get her running strong and you can drive her......

 

Unfortunately it's big business that is pushing the #'s matching thing.
I am sure that pretty soon, the collector car dealers are going to be able to source #'s matching blocks and casting dates correct to order from China or ???.
When that happens this whole debate will be for nothing. I myself have a crate engine (since modified) in our '76, and I would defy anyone to say I would enjoy it more if it were #'s matching.
I also have in progress, a '57 Belair 2dr hardtop which does have it's original engine, Powerglide and rear end, it's getting restored because I want it that way, not because it will be worth more, because our family have agreed it will always be a sort of hierloom, so it's value is meaningless.