motor

philip · 04-01-2007, 02:05 AM

As you know many Corvettes are advertised for sale with the phrase "matching number". This term as been over used to the point it no longer means what it once did. Orginally "matching number" was used on Midyear big block (BB) (427 cubic inches) cars to state that the car was orginally a big block car. Since it was fairly easy to take a small block (327 cubic inches) car and put a big block in it.

After about 1960 all Corvette engines were stamped with a partial VIN number, thus if the VIN number on the car matched the engine stamped number the "numbers matched".

Thus the term "matching number" ment that the engine was the orginal one that came with the car when new. The term became so important that all Corvettes not just big block cars used the term "matching number" to show that their car had the original engine.

These "matching number" Corvettes began selling at a significant premium to other Corvettes with out the term. The term was then applied to the other components of the car which also contained the partial VIN number including the transmission and differential.

It was not long when car sellers realized that "matching number" did not say "orginal engine" and so the practice of block restamping was born.

In the front of the Corvette engine on the passenger side just below the head is a small flat iron pad where these numbers are stamped.

This is an engine pad of a 1963 Corvette SWC (split window coupe) that was sold at an important auction recently for about $85,000. The buyer then, I believe, consigned the Corvette to a dealer, who recently offered it for sale on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1963-...QQcmdZViewItem

This is the ebay link which prematurely ended on March 22, 2007 after the dealer received emails regarding the engine pad photo which was provided.

The dealer also provided a photo of the VIN plate, which on this car is located under the glove box.

The value of this car will almost drop in half from what was paid if the engine was not orginal as was apparently represented at the auction.

I will allow some time for comments on the VIN tag and the engine pad before, I continue with the analysis.