Do You Have A Numbers Matching Classic Car?

Whether you are selling your classic car online or settling up in your garage with the car’s new owner, it’s crucial to represent your automobile properly. This is even more important when you are the buyer. A question that we keep hearing from both buyers and sellers is if the automobile is numbers matching.

So what is numbers matching? Just like all crucial questions surrounding classic cars, this one has no straightforward answer. A classic car purist might say that a numbers matching car will still have all the parts that it was manufactured with. This can include even the nuts and bolts of said car.

Practically speaking, such a car would not exist today if it falls in the vintage or antique category. A classic car conforming to the parameters might survive this long, but odds are slim. However, classic car collectors find it acceptable if all the parts are from the assembly line at the time of or have been replaced with new old stock parts.

An oxymoron rears its head here: new old stock? Although the phrase may seem odd, it is in fact used widely in classic car circles. New old stock is used to describe parts that were manufactured for an automobile but were never used. The factory stocked these parts and send them over to the dealership department as and when needed.

So what is a numbers matching car then? People enjoy collecting classic cars as a hobby with various levels of strictness and commitment. Which is why we must arrive at a satisfactory answer to the question. A numbers matching car can be called so if its engine and transmission are marked with the same sequence number as the chassis VIN number. However, the rear axle and differential date code and casting number must also match with the vehicle’s records.

If you are still befuddled by the numbers matching dilemma, come visit us at The Collectors’ Workshop sometime. In addition to taking care of all your classic car repair, service, restoration, or storage needs, we can always sit and chat over coffee about what such odd terms in classic automotive terminology mean. We might not arrive at a definite answer, but there sure is fun to be had from endlessly discussing classic cars. Sounds like your cup of tea?