Oops, missed one. Am referring to the increasingly popular Mecum auctions. Bloomington Gold features Mecum auctions at their annual collector Corvette events.

 

Good to know, thanks.

I'm still mystified as to why I should be motivated to spend the money to rescue a block which needs this much work vs looking for a 'correct' replacement. The argument that an 'original' engine has all of the factory installed parts is no longer true. It's no longer original other than being the original metal. This doesn't apply to any other casting. Only reason I can think of would be to preserve the numbers. IMO it's still a damaged/repaired block. Counter to the original reason numbers were important, evidence the engine wasn't molested, low mileage, etc.

If it were a rare block, restoration replacement difficult or impossible to find, sure, I'd save it then.

 

This is about as far from reality as it gets. A huge number of us on this forum hop up these cars because we want to and it is fun for us! Visit the Tech forum once in a while. I don't want a 01 ZO6, I want my C3, and besides, an 01 ZO6 couldn't even get close enough to my C3 to smell the fumes from my exhaust, unless of course it was hopped up too. But then why hop up an 01 ZO6 when you can buy an 11 ZR1?

 

I understand completely and I can certainly see your point but it's just the way it is with Corvettes. If you have the original engine with the original pad stamp it puts the car in a completely different class. Even a restamp of the original engine is not the same unless it can be documented.

Corvettes were so commonly molested and hotrodded over the years that the hobby has decided to do a complete about-face and pay a premium for those which escaped the fate of the hacker somehow. Cars that cannot pass scrutiny must be assumed to have been reconstructed... to what degree, who knows? Even if only in part.

There are more red 63 Coupes with fuel injection and more 435 horse cars out there with papers right now than Chevy originally built so yes, we do have a problem. You can buy an "aged" tank sticker with whatever you want on it if you need one but then I am told you can also get a new Social Security number on the street in some large US cities if you know where to look.

 

Your C3 with 1963 C2 suspension would flip over upside down trying to keep up with a stock '01 Z06.


I don't know why you would do that to a car that qualifies for a horseless carriage tag and drives like a truck. I say leave them alone and if you really want a hotrod it makes more sense to put 1000 horsepower in something that has the suspension to match. These cars are historical artifacts anyway now.

 

Getting back to OP's original question............

With a 68(I have 2 of em) you run in to 1 year only parts. Some of them are pretty costly to replace compared to later years. Push button door latches,ignition key in the dash,numerous interior parts,back-up lights in the lower valance,among others.
They do have the distinction of being the first year though and do seem to bring a bit higher price than all but the 69.

The 69 had a number of "improvements" over the 68, but still retains the "shark gill" louvers in the front fender. Many think this is the most desirable chrome bumper year, so the prices are generally a little higher on average. Weather this is really warranted can be debated forever,but it seems to be the trend.

The 70,71,72 will be the least expensive of the 5 years, but also command a good price for a nice clean car.

Small blocks will obviously cost less than a BB, but they make some really nice SB crate motors these days, so the power difference isn't all that big, if any at all.

I'd check for front and rear end rebuild as these can be costly and time consuming to have done, along with a newer crate motor having been installed. A "freshly rebuilt" motor could be anything, and unless the owner has receipts from a reputable shop, I wouldn't take this into consideration when talking price because frankly there is now way to prove it. Some orange spray paint,and chrome valve covers don't make a rebuilt motor.

The biggest thing to keep in mind is that there are a good number of cars out there, so don't jump at the first thing you see.

 

Come to Minnesota this summer, I'll give you a ride!

 

OK, my point is having an original stamp pad says nothing about whether the car was hot rodded, molested, or rebuilt from a hulk. The original stamp pad is one piece of a larger puzzle when a prospective buyer looks at a car. A car with true matching numbers, used for a measure of originality, should have many other 'correct' parts as well with proper casting numbers and date codes. The block I mentioned earlier has absolutely been molested and could be put back into the original car. Is it then 'original' and unmolested? A car without matching numbers has obviousy had at least a block replaced. A car WITH matching numbers should still be looked over very carefully before assuming it's original and paying a premium for it.

I can understand looking for matching numbers if originality is of high importance to a buyer. For others who may not have deep pockets to pay premium prices or those who just want a vintage Corvette for a driver, I can't see this being a high priority. A NOM, identical to a matching numbers will sell for less because it's not original. Makes sense. However that same NOM may be a great fit for someone who wants a driver and isn't worried about selling to collectors in the future.
A buyer should understand the market before buying, know what prices to expect. A NOM should be fine IF the buyer gets it at a fair market price, going to be lower than numbers. So far as future resale goes, I can't see this being a problem unless all buyers disappear other than collectors.


Yes, we have seen a Protect-O-Plate turn up for a Corvette which was originally a small block. Now a 435 horse big block, original, etc.. More evidence a buyer needs to be very careful if they want to play in this arena without getting burned.

I'm saying NOMs have their place in the market at a lower price level. Referring to NOMS which are original or correct other than the block. I wouldn't discourage buyers from considering them so long as they realize they generally sell for less.

 

Worth the price of a copy.

 

If I am up your way I will take you up on that! I'm sure it will be pretty good or you wouldn't have mentioned it.

 

I think you are right but the block is key because it's one of the serial numbered parts making it an irreplaceable item but many were destroyed over the years and once it gets gone the engine can't be made original again. Not that it's less of a Corvette but it is known in the hobby as NOM now which has become increasingly more important.

Absolutely! Whether the car has been molested or it's an unmolested original will require scrutiny and detective work which is the responsibility of the buyer... to uncover and detect those issues and make known what we don't know about it yet. The car in question that has had it's original block reinstalled or comes with the original block has the potential to be something which otherwise would be impossible without it.

Well said! What if you were faced with having to make a choice between two convertibles in identical condition and both the same color selling for the same price. One was a 1970 LT-1 with the original engine and all other numbers and date codes appearing to be correct and the other car was a '69 435 HP L-71 with a replacement block but all other numbers correct and match the car. Which would you pick?

 

Not entirely if the quest for numbers is based on the assumption the car is a survivor, in this case it really isn't. The motor has been removed, molested, much of it's life used up, then possibly reinstalled. Sure a seller could neglect to tell a buyer anything about this and leave it to the buyer to find out if it ever happens. IMO once a motor is torn down for restoration, most of its major components replaced, it's no longer original. Mechanically no better than a restoration block. I admit many people may still pay a premium for it, mainly because it's past history can be difficult to trace, hard to distinguish from a true survivor. Same goes for replacing other major components on an engine. Without serial numbers the exchange is hard if not impossible to detect, a swap out of heads, intake, carb, etc, being easier to hide.

To me, personally, matching numbers are most significant when we're talking about a low mileage, unmolested original. A survivor. Non matching will not fit this description. When talking about high mileage, restored, rebuilt, etc, the importance is diminished IMO. Sure, worth a bit more than a 'correct' replacement but for me, the gap in value narrows.

Another case for matching numbers would be evidence the motor had not been upgraded to a higher value version. More important when considering high end version ie LT1, L71, etc. Not a guarantee, just another clue.

I'm not sure where you're going with this but I must say I'm partial to big blocks. I'm not familiar with the price brackets either of these cars fall within. My personal choice would be the 69, I'm not terribly concerned about numbers IF the pricing is appropriate. The 69 should be priced lower than a identical copy with matching numbers based on the market. I'd choose the car the I prefer rather than let the numbers drive my choice.

BTW: I prefer a coupe as well. I'd be buying the car for me, my personal preference, not what would bring a higher price at resale.

Getting back to my original posting, I was just saying there's nothing wrong with a NOM so long as the buyer understands the market and knows it will most often sell for less. NOM or not, each candidate should be carefully evaluated to be sure the buyer is getting what they are paying for. When you get into the 'numbers' cars, especially the high end versions, there's a lot more money at stake which may be lost if the buyer isn't well educated.

 

I became partial to a '69- '72 due to the chrome bumps also and
was in your shoes for the past 2 years, looking for the right combination of number's match, color, etc.
I did lots of research by looking at prices here, magazines,ebay, etc.

I fell in love with the bryar blue '72 (only year for bryar blue) vert manual with side pipes. I wanted a BB and numbers match. I ended up with almost everything, except the BB (the 350 is still fast) and although she is a numbers match, mine has a few custom features the "purists" may not like. She does turn heads, has an awesome paint job and was in the price range you are looking at.

My suggestion is two words only...RESEARCH, PATIENCE.

At the end of the day you are the only one that needs to like it, thats why you need to research to find out what a fair price is for your taste, and then plenty of patience to let some sales go when your price range gets exceeded.

Good luck, my girl was worth the 2 year wait. Enjoy the pics and your quest.

 

If I may ask out of curiousity, why did you choose numbers matching over getting one with the engine you wanted?

If a non numbers car were available, one with a BB, at a non numbers price, would you have considered it?

 

I'm considering selling mine. I was gonna hold out until the market turns around, but my race car needs some lovin.





1968 - 327
TRW dome pistons
Performer RPM heads
Comp XR282HR-10 ROLLER Cam
Crane Full Roller Rockers
Performer RPM Air Gap Manifold
360# VBP rear spring.
17x8 TTII's
245/45/17 Dunlop Direzza DZ101.
Hooker Stainless Headers/Pipes.
"Super red" code 81U