Matching #s ? C'mon you nitpickers!

[see ten]

I have spotted a low mileage cheyenne SWB with a big block, tach tilt, cruise,AC , AM/FM blah blah blah. After talking with the owner it comes out that the big block and th400 trans came out of a different truck of the same year. By running the #s on the engine it is correct for the truck although the build sheet says 350. The only dead giveaway to it not being factory is the low trans hump. My question is would this cause you to be willing to pay less for the truck? I don't want to know what it's worth, just technicaly is it worth less without the original engine even though the one it currently has is correct for the year?

[jku72]

I pay more for a correct set up, but it is likely that the current set-up is more valuable than a 350 setup, matching or not. The highest cash goes to matching numbers bigblocks, in my opinion.

[pebbleboy]

Without along detailed description in word.........
Yes

[N2TRUX]

I pay more to get a truck like I want it. I could care less if it has matching numbers. It's not a COPO 427 Camaro

[glock35ipsc]

Let's see if this makes sense (I am a little sleepy) - To me, it would not be worth less just because of the different engine, but it would be worth more if it were the correct engine per the build sheet.

[Oldtruckfanatic]

^^^^^ What N2TRUX said....I deal with streetrods and muscle cars all day and with rs ss big block four speed camaros or big block four speed corvettes etc. the worth goes way up with the numbers matching but with pickup trucks unless its a perfect showroom condition mint piece or something special with low production numbers the numbers thing doesn't really come into play. jmo though

[Ron 586]

If you are buying the truck for an investment the numbers match issue is to be considered. If you are buying it to drive and have fun with then stuff the biggest, baddest, engine you can find under the hood and have fun.

[see ten]

Well what you guys are throwing at me pretty much mirrors what I was already thinking. I realize we aren't talking matching #s vettes or big block Camaros here. These trucks are drying up when it comes to finding well optioned SWB units. I think I would rather have a SWB with a non original motor than go through the work of cutting down a LWB with matching #s.

[special-K]

I agree with all this,too.Except I disagree with the car snobery comments about it not being a COPO car or something.Sure,there`s the big buck rare birds.There`s more to it than the investment value and just because a "rare" loaded truck won`t fetch the record setting numbers of some of these cars doesn`t cancel all other values out.Investers are what have trashed things for hobbyists.The guys that plunk down the huge bucks for someone elses work are the same ones that turned their heads on "all" these vehicles for 20 or more years in favor of the latest new & improved offerings.Only to turn around and drive the value up of their cast-offs by wanting them back.So,the attitude towards the value of a given truck should be carried by the knowledge that it`s unusual to have survived this mentality and with what we`ve seen occur with values,the values will only climb to where we can`t imagine,now.
I`m not a purist,I have hotrod blood.But,a factory numbers matching big block short Fleetside loaded CheyenneSuper is the top dog in the "truck world" and will only climb in value at a progressively greater rate as the years go by.Just a "real nice" truck will,too.I just look at it like what it has and what it took to get that way to decide a value.That,and the "want" factor.Gotta what that one.

[junkyardjohn]

Originally Posted by special-K

I agree with all this,too.Except I disagree with the car snobery comments about it not being a COPO car or something.Sure,there`s the big buck rare birds.There`s more to it than the investment value and just because a "rare" loaded truck won`t fetch the record setting numbers of some of these cars doesn`t cancel all other values out.Investers are what have trashed things for hobbyists.The guys that plunk down the huge bucks for someone elses work are the same ones that turned their heads on "all" these vehicles for 20 or more years in favor of the latest new & improved offerings.Only to turn around and drive the value up of their cast-offs by wanting them back.So,the attitude towards the value of a given truck should be carried by the knowledge that it`s unusual to have survived this mentality and with what we`ve seen occur with values,the values will only climb to where we can`t imagine,now.
I`m not a purist,I have hotrod blood.But,a factory numbers matching big block short Fleetside loaded CheyenneSuper is the top dog in the "truck world" and will only climb in value at a progressively greater rate as the years go by.Just a "real nice" truck will,too.I just look at it like what it has and what it took to get that way to decide a value.That,and the "want" factor.Gotta what that one.

THATS DEEP TIM.... VERY DEEP. JOHN

[Oldtruckfanatic]

Wow...I wasn't trying to be a car snob. I used those particular cars as an example because the numbers matching thing can drive the price of those cars into obscenity. I never said the truck wasn't a good investment just that right now in the truck market it doesn't come into play as much. In reality thats a good thing because us truck guys can still find a factory big block truck with all the options and not have to pay $100,000 dollars for it. I will say that day is coming though. I'm only 33 and I remeber buying a 383 4 speed 69 super bee when I was 17 for $3000.00 you can hardly touch a rusty shell for that now and soon a factory big block truck with a posi and all the options will be unobtainable to normal folks too just thankfully hasn't happened yet. Oops almost forgot the above is still just my opinion and thats all it is.

[NewKid]

I guess I got timed out of my post so I am going to try again. I have worked in the business and have had my own garage working on mostly imports like Mercedes, Toyota, Volkswagon, and some domestic light trucks. I have found that most of the time location and economics is what drives up the cost of a vehicle. Not by what type it might be or what might be in it. If someone needs the money they will usually ask for more then what it is worth, Inflation! No matter what it seems that everywhere you might go you will find people asking for more then a 30 year old vehicle is worth. $300. thats it. if it runs. To collectors it is worth more only if they are desperate to have there long life's dream of what they remember to be a good time. You can't get $300 from a car dealer on a 30 year old vehicle. It's what you call a specialty item and only so many people will purchase something that does not have a warrenty no matter how bad the warrenty might be.

[72 Cheyenne402]

cars suck!! LOL

[boraxman]

As long as it doesnt have a F*0rd engine...I could care less

[PanelDeland]

Other than the ultra rare or collectible examples above the only place I can see "Numbers Matching" being a big issue is on LOTTO night.

[72 Cheyenne402]

My numbers match although it is hard to keep numbers matching. If it were to cost me 4000 buck to repair a cab opposed to buying one for 400 you know what I would do. I'm sure you would do the same.

[farmtruckIII]

This is how things work around here at least lately irregardless of numbers anything with a big block brings way more than a small block, good luck buying anything big block in north texas for less than 5 g's

[Chevrolet4x4s]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

I pay more to get a truck like I want it. I could care less if it has matching numbers. It's not a COPO 427 Camaro

I agree but you can use Ita as a tool to pay less.......well its not the original engine...
Shane

[72 Cheyenne402]

Mine Is original equipment 402 all # match I got lucky but it is a South Texas truck and has all typical areas of trouble

[Daubs]

Does not bother me that my numbers don't match. Heck, numbers from frame and cab don't match...cause my truck is a mutt.

I didn't buy it to be a trailer queen, or as an investment. I bought it to be a really neat old truck that I like driving around town.

[Sweet72]

Originally Posted by PanelDeland

Other than the ultra rare or collectible examples above the only place I can see "Numbers Matching" being a big issue is on LOTTO night.

I couldn't agree more. A nice truck is just that. I personally don't give a rats a
$$ about numbers.

[N2TRUX]

I'm no 67-72 expert by any means, but I do watch the prices on them when I can. From what I have seen a restored truck with OEM options added that may not be correct for that truck model or year will bring as much if not more than a 100% correct truck will. Most "truck" buyers aren't purist when it comes to matching numbers.....

[see ten]

Well I went and checked it out today in person. It was tight but hadn't been kept up. The owner claimed the miles were original (54,000) and the truck had never been repainted. I could only find a couple pinholes in either rocker panel. The cab corners were perfect, the doors were near perfect, no rust under the battery whatsoever. The bed was about as good as it gets, no dents no rust just some holes in the tops of the bedsides from bedrails or a toolbox. It would make a great start but it needed painted something terrible. The interior was shot, the heater core was leaking, clutch was gone on the A/C compressor. The factory tach didn't work either. I know it sounds like I am being picky but it was priced high enough that it should have been in better shape. I checked the build sheet and the truck wasn't a Cheyenne, and didn't come with the Tach or tilt. I was polite and told the gentleman that it really wasn't what I was looking for but I was going to look around some more and if he still had it in a month or so maybe we could have a meeting of Number$. Owner was animate that he was taking a loss but I feel like he was still a couple grand to high.

[al's71gmc]

I didn't think a BB and th400 would fit under a low hump.

[special-K]

Imagine that,not getting what you put into a vehicle.Hey,I just wanted to make a point before.There`s middle ground between COPO cars and the "won`t ever be collectible".A non-original truck that is finished out in the highest quality can be worth as much or more than an original "if" it`s a custom and that`s what a buyer wants.There is a huge market for that,like any desireable vehicle.Look at the Tri-5s.A pro-street or Foose-style`57 can bring huge numbers,even more than an original.But a Belair with a color change,Power-Pak,posi,a/c,power options that were not original to the vehicle will not bring as much as the same numbers-matching Belair.The same holds true for these trucks.There are multiple markets within one model.Just because they don`t bring six digits doesn`t mean originality doesn`t count.