Numbers Matching, Explained

The difference between a genuine Hemi 'Cuda and a very good clone is roughly a quarter of a million pounds, so documentation is not pedantry, it is the whole ballgame.

Numbers matching means the engine, transmission and rear axle carry stampings that correspond to the vehicle identification number and the original build record. A partial VIN stamped on the engine block pad is the primary evidence on most American cars of the period.

Chrysler products carry a fender tag on the inner wing, a riveted metal plate encoding paint, trim, engine, axle and options. The broadcast sheet, a paper build record, is often found under the rear seat or above the glovebox during restoration and is the gold standard.

Ford owners should buy a Marti Report, which draws on the surviving Ford database and confirms exactly how the car left the factory, including build date, dealer and original colour. Pontiac has the equivalent in PHS documentation.

Be suspicious of a car whose paperwork is described as lost. Be more suspicious of one whose seller cannot explain the stampings. Every car in our inventory is sold with the documentation described in its listing, and we will happily put you in front of the metal before you commit.