Matching this, matching that...

[cavemanno1]

HOLY COW!!!  You can say all the, 'matching numbers' are overseas 
[/quote]

Not all of them because they only require matching numbers here in Hungary and there is only one '68 and '70 charger here!No '69 charger at all even tho every musclecar guys' dream car is a second gen charger!But for the price of these cars you can buy a 3 bedroom flat and most people even struggle to pay for their place.People who could afford them buy brand new BMW,Audi,mustangs or hummers!

People think I'm an "idiot" because I'd ratter buy a 47 year old charger than buy a BMW or Audi.My first car was a '69 charger and the second will be a '68 
Wife has a daily driver that's worth 1k maybe!Everybody has their view of life but when yours is different from the rest then you are strange.

Nowhere else in Europe,to my knowledge,they require matching numbers!

[Ghoste]

Ah, I get it now.

[lloyd3]

Is it fair to say a car is matching numbers if it still has it's fender tag, original block and transmission case?  None of the rest of it matters?

[Bob T]

My first left hook was a 68 318 Charger with column shift buddy seat in RR1 with a white vinyl top and beautiful original red interior. It was a low mile low owner solid Texas car and it ran like a train. But, I wanted more power so the correct thing for me to do was to sell it as it got to 43 years old without being molested and it was just too cool to chop it around and big block it. The new owner fells the same way.

After a year without a car I found this black one, I had originally only wanted a factory BB car with the BB drive train but this R/T was available. The motor is original and the numbers trans was packed in the trunk with a shift kitted 69 trans fitted. It was cool that the original motor was in it but not a deal breaker for me.
I'm intending to keep if fairly stock with a bit more power, makes 420 at the crank now and I've done nearly 10,000 miles since I've got it legal.
To me the real value is in driving away on family trips, cruising and hanging with fellow petrolhead buddies, cost and numbers matching numbers be damned

[Ghoste]

Lloyd, to me personally that would be numbers matching.  No idea what the majority think.

[mightywing7]

Lloyd, I concur with Ghoste on the drivetrain and would add the matching body (numbers located on the dash vin plate as well as the corresponding numbers on the radiator yoke and the trunk sill). 

[Challenger340]

A little off topic but......
What is the point of supposedly "numbers matching", if the point being of maintaining such cars is then "originality"....
when,
so many of them get their "correct" #'s Engines rebuilt INCORRECTLY, and are indeed GUTLESS WONDERS ! nowhere near the original performance ?

I mean WHO CARES what numbers are there ? if it can't emulate the factory original "performance" ?

This happens so often with 440 builds it is absolutely STUPID.... because of the lack of an actual "correct" Piston for the 68-70 440 Magnum Engines.
                                                                                                     (the replacement pistons listed in the catalogs are wrong)

[lloyd3]

I think, for all intents and purposes, that is how it is used. Seems like a pretty low-bar until you remember how few cars can still make that claim.  It is definitely a value modifier of 20 to 30%, and maybe even more.

[Ghoste]

Most of the high dollar numbers matching cars likely don't  get used for their original purpose anyway.

[ODZKing]

Many times "matching number" cars are not 100% matching numbers unless it is a survivor and not driven much.
Hard to find a 100% matching numbers car in good condition. Same as it is hard to find a true survivor.
My 67 was all there when we purchased it.  So when we restored it I kept it as close as possible. But electronic ignition, different wheels, and its no longer matching numbers by definition.
But I agree with most everything said here. If it is near to original, I'd keep it that way. But as we always say, it's your car, do what you want.

[Ghoste]

Where do you stop and start right?  Personally I would never get bent out of shape about ignition and wheels.  I'd say 80% or better of the guys I see at auctions who want numbers matching are mostly worried that the engine block is the numbers matching one.  There are another 20% who seem to want the trans to match too and out of all of them there are about 70% that want a good paper trail too.
Someplace else is different I'm sure.