Numbers Matching question

[camarossrulz]

my truck is supposed to be a numbers matching truck. is there a guide online or a book where I can check the numbers on my truck to find out?

[leddzepp]

Nope. Only way to tell if the engine is original to the truck is if you still have the factory build sheet that will list the entire number stamped on the front of the block.

The casting numbers and suffix code will give you a year and model only.


www.mortec.com is a great source to look up numbers. If you can match an engine to your year/model truck, then it is probably the original engine.

[cparman]

My experience in the numbers matching world is primarily corvette. IF you had the build sheet Ledzep mentioned it would be a bunch easier. If your truck is numbers matching and your did your homework about when you think it was built day-month-year. There are several parts of the engine that will have date codes that should be within a short period of time 90 days or so. The block,intake,cylinder heads, MAYBE exhaust manifolds, will have date codes on them.

All of the glass in the cab will be date coded also, and have some kind of logo on it. Like LOF libby owens ford, and an alpha numeric series that will date the glass.

It is an interesting road to see IF for sure your truck is numbers matching, but it will require a lot of research. Another helpful source is to see if you could contact ALL of the previous owners. I have a customer who did this with his Corvette, and it was VERY helpful.

[camarossrulz]

I have been trying to track the owners. I have went back to the last two and supposely I am the fourth owner. the second owner says the mileage is correct and the engine is the original. It just seems hard for me to believe that I found a 72 shortbed with only 30k and all original. Thanks for the help, I am going to keep researching it. the second owner said he brought it home from georgia. I checked the vin and it showed that it was made in atlanta. so maybe he is correct

[Sport/Truck]

I think its likely all original w matching numbers. I think even if you don't have the build sheet you can go by the stamp on the block. It's unlikely that someone would go through the trouble to put a date correct block back in the truck. It's more likely to happen on a rare car to bring big bucks. You can put a time line together with all the date stamps to get a good idea if it's original.

My block says it's a 70 and the heads say 71. But if you look when the truck was ordered (November 1970, and delivered Feb 1971) it all makes sense.
s/t

[68350]

Leddzepp is correct about the numbers on the pickups. Without the build sheet, you can't tell. I'm not saying no trucks had vins stamped on the motors(I haven't seen one), but the norm is to just have a suffix code, which decodes to the year, motor size, etc.

[Sport/Truck]

Originally Posted by 68350

Leddzepp is correct about the numbers on the pickups. Without the build sheet, you can't tell. I'm not saying no trucks had vins stamped on the motors(I haven't seen one), but the norm is to just have a suffix code, which decodes to the year, motor size, etc.

Agreed, but on the other hand I find it unlikely that someone would search for a used block with a date code and re-stamp the original suffix code that would mimic a matching number truck....
Just my opinion.

The beauty with these trucks is nobody really pays attention to the matching numbers aspect as they do with other classic cars. Someday maybe.
s/t

[Skirkpat]

Originally Posted by Sport/Truck

The beauty with these trucks is nobody really pays attention to the matching numbers aspect as they do with other classic cars. Someday maybe.
s/t

Lets hope not

[stllookn]

You might consider asking the guy what his interpretation of "numbers matching" means. As others have pointed out, the only VIN numbers will be on the cab, frame, glove box door and build sheet. It could have a completely different engine. If however he has gone to the trouble to make sure the carb, engine, intake, and other components, with casting numbers or manufacturing numbers, are appropriate for the mfg. date of the truck, model and option list, then he has done everything possible to make sure all of the components are "period correct" for this vehicle, option list and build sheet. If not...he is just blowing smoke to try to get more for the truck...or "showcasing" his ignorance.

Anyone one this site that restores and competes in Corvette or muscle car restorations will know much more about this subject than me. I just research their sites and the concours d' elegance sites to see what constitutes a 100 pt. restoration.

I find it unlikely that someone would search for a used block with a date code and re-stamp the original suffix code that would mimic a matching number truck....

I did this to find a matching engine for my Longhorn 327 just in case the original engine was not rebuildable since it had broken piston. I did not have to re-stamp since the engine stamp in '68 carries just the plant, date, size, carb, tranny and sometimes pollution compliance.

GOOD LUCK...LOL...and I have heard there is medication for obsessive compulsive disorder!

[camarossrulz]

I will have to check the numbers on the engine adn frame. so far as for the vin on the cab and tag in glove box, everything is correct

[697498chevy]

I've got a '69 350 that came out of my wife's Malibu . Guy at work claims it worth big bucks to someone with a '69 Chevy that wants matching numbers . Is this right ?

[Skirkpat]

Originally Posted by 697498chevy

I've got a '69 350 that came out of my wife's Malibu . Guy at work claims it worth big bucks to someone with a '69 Chevy that wants matching numbers . Is this right ?

Not unless you find the guy That owns the Malibu it came out of, and even then it is just a 350, not very desirable in Chevelle culture, find a 427 that came out of a Yenko, or LS6 454, then it is a different story. The air cleaner of an LS6 is worth more than a 350 core.

[697498chevy]

THANKS ! That's what I thought .