Supercar Originality

[Bradley MacKenzie]

Very well put.
I have never heard the state of the market summed up so eloquently.

[jon rand]

A correct car is more than likely what you will find out there. A true numbers matching car is a rare animal, espesilly when it comes to muscle cars. My dad worked in a chevy service dept. from 68-73 He said you wouldn't imagine the amount of waranty moters and transmitions he ordered. 302's,350LT1's,396's,427's,454's. He said a guy would by a 302Z and usualy they would tow it back a mounth or two later with the bottom end stuck through the pan. He said if a man under 30 bought one of these cars you could expect to se it back within a year.And if they didnt scater the moter they instaled headers,carb,intake,shifter,differnt fan,tall ball joints,stiffer front springs,distributer, So in my opinion there is no such animal as a true numbers matching car. Even the 24mile LS6 chevelle is missing its polution pump.

[T Billigen]

You are right! First thing to go on these muscle cars was the smog,exhaust manifolds and shifter. I have a low mileage camaro, luckily it still has original drive train,but it is missing the smog and original manifolds, the first to blow was usually the tranny, those Muncies could not hold up to the torq of the big block engines.

[T Billigen]

One other observation, I don't think original motor or trans is as important in a Yenko as in most other cars, they are so rare and valuable that people will still pay a premiun price to own a piece of history! (my opion)

[watk69]

You could take that above to an extreme though, at what point does it cease being a Yenko. Me thinks a rusted out tub or cornfield find needing a whole body, whole new drive train, everything except the VIN plate ceases to be the legendary Yenko, for me at least.

I'm a time capsule guy, ragged original or inteligently bought dealer replacement parts when stuff got blown up suits me just fine as long as someone thought to keep a record of it. To me thats more valuable than a car that had to be resurected from date coded parts.

As for the stuffy Corvette crowd, they created this mess called a show car and numbers matching hysteria. Thats another topic or peave of mine - the Trailer Queen for another thread. Why own it if you can't "feel the legend" every once in a while albeit carefully.

[Edited by watk69 (02-28-2002 at 09:45 AM).]

[Edited by watk69 (02-28-2002 at 09:47 AM).]

[68SS396]

Not true Jon. I have a TRUE numbers matching car, a 68 SS 396. ALL numbers match, Engine,Trans and Rear. This car even still has the original manifolds AND smog system. The car only has 64,000 miles and the only items not original ate the usual wear items, such as hoses, belts, alt. and so on. The engine has had the valve covers off it for the FIRST time 3 weeks ago, only because they started to leak back by the rear exhaust ports. If you want to see this car go to:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bzacek
and look under MY 68 SS.
The car might not be a SUPERCAR but it is an original numbers matching Big Block car. Believe it or not there are still TRUE number matching cars out there.

[jon rand]

68SS396, I know there are matching numbers cars out there but they are very few. Congrats on owning one of those few.