I am going to classify my understanding of a Matching numbers car, as one that does have the born with drivetrain.
If you have a replacement block or trans that don't have the VIN of the car that they are in, you don't have numbers that match. Some numbers will match, but not all of them. I guess that you could say that I have a car with partial matching numbers if you wanted to be 100% correct with your statement. Different VIN's on the car and block aren't matching no matter how you look at it. Yes, you can replace items such as manifolds, carbs, distributers with ones that are numbered and dated correctly, but those items don't have the VIN stamped on them, and there is no way to prove that they have been replaced to begin with. I agree that certain people have distorted the true meaning of matching numbers to accomidate what they are trying to sell, or what they have.
