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The Great “Matching Numbers” debate So what say you?

It's Ok. She might get a little jealous of any new love? Certainly don't want to be part of any home wrecking? Lol.
I’m lucky to have a wife that supports my sickness , most wives want their husbands sell their cars . Here’s another one I’m not allowed to sell

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Hope I did not give a totally wrong impression.
I really appreciate those who maintain a numbers matching vehicle. It is difficult and expensive to hunt down and maintain date coded numbers matching parts.
I have a few friends that have original survivor cars, usually first or second owners who had them before the collector car market spiked the prices on the cars.
I also know many who have spent hundreds of thousands dollars restoring to concourse correct show wining levels where it is likely they will never be able to sell the vehicle for what they spent on them. I enjoy viewing those car too, and I hope that is what makes the owners happy.
 
In my opinion? There are builds for that level of detail. And it's the classic/antique luxury car market. I lived in the muscle car era. And nobody restored back to original that I knew. It was a time of the manufacturer performance wars. Where the home garage guy could show off. Duesenbergs deserve to be viewed like a painting. It's a sin a muscle car is just rubbed with a cheese cloth. And yes. There is plenty of jealousy involved with my view point.
 
Hope I did not give a totally wrong impression.
I really appreciate those who maintain a numbers matching vehicle. It is difficult and expensive to hunt down and maintain date coded numbers matching parts.
I have a few friends that have original survivor cars, usually first or second owners who had them before the collector car market spiked the prices on the cars.
I also know many who have spent hundreds of thousands dollars restoring to concourse correct show wining levels where it is likely they will never be able to sell the vehicle for what they spent on them. I enjoy viewing those car too, and I hope that is what makes the owners happy.

I agree... but there’s always that Mopar guy, you know him. He acts like your car is sitting on a grass field, and it’s his job to deduct points for what isn’t “correct”. Most of my junk has a lot of not “correct”. :D
 
I agree... but there’s always that Mopar guy, you know him. He acts like your car is sitting on a grass field, and it’s his job to deduct points for what isn’t “correct”. Most of my junk has a lot of not “correct”. :D

Yep, every cruise-in or car show has that person that is the self proclaimed Mopar expert that has had, or still has a classic one (“but didn’t bring it today”) and try’s to tell you what’s not original/correct about your car.
Sure am glad they’re are out there or I may never have known that my air filter element is not correct color.
Then when they leave, it’s in a POS 1997 Grand Am
 
Lucky I have only meet a few Mopar car snobs, most are pretty cool.
Usually the Corvette guys are really annoying.
 
Used to punk the numbers matching snobs with a story about my 1964 Plymouth disqualified at a concours meet because wrong shade of paint daubs on the connecting rods.
 
I bought my '74 Challenger from the original owner w/ 29k actual miles in '78. It was (to me) that blah butterscotch color w/ vinyl top, neither of which I cared for, BUT it had a white interior. I removed the top, changed the color, upgraded a base car with OEM/factory items that it didn't come with. I made the car what I wanted it to be, and yes it still has the "numbers matching" drivetrain and currently sits at 69,669 actual miles. So, I guess numbers matching doesn't really matter to me! YMMV :)

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Lucky I have only meet a few Mopar car snobs, most are pretty cool.
Usually the Corvette guys are really annoying.

Somewhere along the line... Some Mopar guys thought they had Corvettes.
 
Then there are some outliers like me maybe, who just want to own some of these cars for a few years and then resell to get something different. My motivation isn't for profit. It's to drive/own several of these cars. If I could afford it, I would have kept everyone that I've owned in the past 10 plus years. But I get a kick out of having something different. Part of that is because I'm not emotionally attached to a car that I've had for decades. Although I do have a GN that I bought in the early 90's still. But that's because the kids don't want me to let it go. In the past 10 years I've had a 70 RT with 23K (even met original owner), 71 Shaker Chall RT that I've owned twice!, 2 Magnum SRT8's which are a lot of fun, etc. Even bought my SRT4 I bought new from my son, so we're keeping it in the family. During this time, had a couple of newer 5.0's and a mazdaspeed3. After typing this I feel kind of dumb for going through so many cars. But point is, really just want to drive different cars. Even with the numbers cars, I drove them to every car show around, couldn't care less about mileage. Current 71 440-6 GTX will get driven everywhere, but I'll probably only keep it for 2-3 years. I do avoid driving in crap weather because I hate getting back under the hood to clean up!
 
OK I get it ...I am all worn out...I have a 71 bee all matching #'s.....I think I am going to sell needs a bit of tlc....I have had it almost 50 yrs.,,,,,,gonna make my 66 coronet non matching with the 440 build I am doing and have some fun....seems like non matching is more fun for the money.
 
Everyone has preferences. Whatever works for you.

Had the opp to acquire an unrestored, stock original, A33 '69 Coronet R/T. 28K original mis. Original F70-14 spare still holds air.
Fortunate that the previous owner had resisted Don Garlits and Herb McCandless purchase inquiries. They did signature the lady.
Even more fortunate to save her from becoming the next resident of Perth AUS.

Like a great marriage, I am her caretaker "until death do us part" ...

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Coronet RT(8d).JPG
 
Everyone has preferences. Whatever works for you.

Had the opp to acquire an unrestored, stock original, A33 '69 Coronet R/T. 28K original mis. Original F70-14 spare still holds air.
Fortunate that the previous owner had resisted Don Garlits and Herb McCandless purchase inquiries. They did signature the lady.
Even more fortunate to save her from becoming the next resident of Perth AUS.

Like a great marriage, I am her caretaker "until death do us part" ...

View attachment 1219244 View attachment 1219245 View attachment 1219246 View attachment 1219247
 
I own 3 older cars and they are all somewhat Frankenstein cars to various degree. Particularly, my 66 427 Corvette, I bought in the 80s specifically as a NOM motor car so I didn’t have to worry about being frauded and pay too much or hung up all the time trying to maintain original starters, alternators, etc. I see examples of 67 427 engines popping up for sale with the original stamping on them that tie them to a vehicle that still exists and has changed hands several times at over $100k and advertised as having the original motor. Fraud is rampant in the old BB Corvette community, but a lot of those guys are half crazy with this originality stuff anyway. Neither of my 66/67 Mopars have their original engines which is fine with me. I just try to maintain them with outwardly original appearance.
 
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