[TimG]

I'm afraid that numbers matching no longer means original engine or original stamp. It may mean that, but in my opinion all it means is that the ID derivative on the block matches part of the vehicle ID number. It's just the first part of the equation to determine if it is the original engine the car came with. I no longer get wound up if someone with a "restoration motor" in a car tells me that it is numbers matching, in fact, I expect that statement. Now I have the first of about three questions answered that pertain to the originality of the engine. Numbers matching no longer is an absolute and I don't think that someone that states numbers matching for a known restoration motor is being dishonest. I will add that if I had a restoration motor in a car, I wouldn't refer to it as numbers matching, but a restoration motor.