[tom406]

The non matching issue between the tag and VIN is bothersome. Could be a factory mixup, but since the car has obviously had a life, one could be from a different car. Check the VIN tag first, do you think its ever been messed with? If so, leave it be. If not, make sure the number matches his title.

There should be some evidence as you poke around this car that it was once Sable (Burnished Brown) with gold interior. If you find NO evidence of these colors anywhere, the tag is suspect.

The sum of what everyone who has had '68/'69 442's is saying is that most garden variety 442's of this era aren't bringing much money, and at those prices, nobody is going to want to hear a lot of stories. They can afford to be choosy. The wrong motor, the mismatched tag deal, the rust, etc. are rapidly turning this car into just a hot rod Cutlass project. (If the W27 rear is something real, thats a whole other thing.)

If you're comfortable that the VIN is legit, pretend the trim tag is gone when valuing it. Even if it is a factory screwup, its going to be almost impossible for you to prove with the limited history you have. It sounds something like a $4K car to me. It sounds like a $12K hot rod when its done, not a restoration candidate.

Good luck.