Matching Numbers. What does it mean to you?

Discussion in 'The "Paper Trail"' started by Marco, Jun 5, 2003.

  1. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Guest

    Nice, crack-free grille....
     

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  2. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Guest

    Interior shot....
     

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  3. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Guest

    and finally, the engine compartment...
     

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  4. ricknmel67

    ricknmel67 Well-Known Member

    I'm probably a minority here....
    I couldn't care less about numbers matching.
    Matter of fact, I would very much PREFER a clone.
    Maybe if I was rich, I might change my tune. But at this point in my life I have my cars to drive :3gears: , not show :boring:, and I don't think I'll ever change from that mindset.
    I happen to think the GS options (scoops, badges, grilles, etc..) make the Skylark look much cooler. I don't care if it's a Skylark or a real GS. It'll look and drive just the same... and cost ALOT less.
    Of course it'll be worth alot less too though.

    But I've never made money on a car, and probably never will. It's a hobby for me, not a business.

    So, for now.... numbers-shmumbers, gimme a non-matching, non-original clone that hauls butt and looks good! :pp


    btw... sweet GS Brett!
    :beer
     
  5. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Guest

    Rick,

    I agree with what you are saying and I didn't dig up this thread to spark any kind of debate. I was merely showing a fine example of what someone who could care less about matching numbers did with a car that they've owned since new....

    And let me tell you that thing drives like it's brand new!
     
  6. Marco

    Marco Well-Known Member

    Hey Brett -

    Do we have this car registered?
     
  7. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Guest

    Marco,

    I'll have to contact him this week and see about it. He's not a board member (yet) and I tried emailing him these same pics but the email got returned....

    I'll get back to you....
     
  8. txgwildcat

    txgwildcat Guest

    What I don't get is why someone would spend thousands more for a supposed original car than an identical car with no physical differences.
     
  9. Nicholas Sloop

    Nicholas Sloop '08 GS Nats BSA runner up

    If you are talking about an original car vs. a clone, yeah, I'd pay thousands more for the original car. To me there is a huge difference in the warm fuzzy feeling of ownership of a GS that Buick built rather than one someone else built.
     
  10. Mr Big

    Mr Big Silver Level contributor

    I guess you had to have been there "lived it" to understand it...The muscle car days were simply magical...

    Anybody with the ability and some cash can build a nice street machine...i've had a bunch of em...

    However, there's just something about owning a piece of automotive history.

    Not tying to belittle anyone just trying to help.
     
  11. txgwildcat

    txgwildcat Guest

    If there are no physical differences at all then I guess it is just a head thing. I guess I can relate to that. If I have a car that looks great but doesn't have the original quarter panels I always think about how much I wish it did. Even though nobody can tell the quarter panels have been replaced it will never be all original.
     
  12. Marco

    Marco Well-Known Member

    I thought the 'originality' we were discussing were the motor, trans, and cowl tag as it pertains the actual color of the car - not the quarter panels :Do No:

    Remember, the thread was started because someone bought a car where the cowl tag information did not match the '3rd party' documentation.
     
  13. Mr Big

    Mr Big Silver Level contributor

    Ok back on track...

    Your original analogy is a good one.

    I wont knowingly buy a car where someones been playing with tags and numbers.

    Not even a 4dr sedan Rambler.
     
  14. MikeM

    MikeM Mississippi Buicks

    Jesus Mary and Joseph.

    This numbers thing can become a religion. Look at the Corvette owners and the craziness to have every part perfect.

    Lets not go there.

    Sure some cars are original. Most are not. Putting the 'nots' back right just isn't worth the money.

    My .02
     
  15. txgwildcat

    txgwildcat Guest

    For the sake of the cars it is worth putting them back to how they should be. What seems to be a wasted effort is trying to verify if it really is original. I like them to be as correct as possible but accept that they are not likely to be original no matter what people say.
     
  16. TimR

    TimR Nutcase at large

    I agree. However, in my case, the challenge for me in this hobby is to make it as close as possible....I love the details and the research and building the car probably more than driving them.

    So "real" cars are more important to me than anything, but I accept the fact that not all engines, trannies or diffs will make it 30 years wihtout getting replaced.

    Odd eh??LOL

    later
    Tim
     
  17. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Guest

    Tim,

    You've just summed up what I have been trying to say!
     
  18. 70sportwagon

    70sportwagon Silver Level contributor

    <<So "real" cars are more important to me than anything, but I accept the fact that not all engines, trannies or diffs will make it 30 years wihtout getting replaced.>>


    I agree with this as well.

    In addition for me is the importance (either real or perceived) that 30 some years ago this car was built by people on an assembly line, it was special when it was made because not many were assembled and it survived to be a desireable car in the present time. The more parts that are original the better but I certainly do not dislike cars that have been brought back from the dead.

    I am not a huge fan of retagged bodies but realize that it is better than having the major rust buckets all become tin cans.
     
  19. Gran Sport66

    Gran Sport66 Well-Known Member

    I am pretty much a newbie on cars in general, but ever since I read "numbers matching"in an ad for a car, maybe ten years ago and had no idea what they meant. I subsequently saw it a few more times and one said "original numbers matching engine"
    I just thought it meant the engine, and assumed that was the important thing. That it matched the car/body by serial number.

    I agree with the "5 points" to be truly "N.M.", but I think if it's the engine, and trans, that should be the basic criteria.

    I think I am lucky, and everything on my Riv is basically original, though I haven't checked the tags everywhere, but I don't think it is that rare. Just look at how the hobby has basically two camps-those who like to keep things stock (me) and those who like to hot rod, and mod the engine and trannny.

    So, not taking into account how many trans had to be replaced over the life of those cars that were used a ton, (which still may have the stamps on the housing-does that get replaced usually?)if you are lucky enough to find any of these cars in decent shape, where their owners gave them pretty good care, I think many will have numbers matching engines at least.
    As for the cowl, and whatever tags, those are often always still on a car unless major mods have been done after an accident, swapping engines etc. If this type of thing isn't numbers matching on a car that has had nearly everything redone, or a total resto, you really are paying for having a kool car that is nearly perfect, or even better than when it left the showroom floor. Numbers matching at that point is a matter of, what, heaping insanity on top of obsession (and drool!).

    Hope this makes sense!

    Chris
     
  20. Eric B

    Eric B John 3:16

    Where are the date codes on the body??
     

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