<VV> Matching engine numbers

[RoboMan91324@aol.com]

Craig,

Amen to that.  I don't think that the Corvair collector will ever get to the 
same point as the Corvette collector when it comes to "numbers matching" and I 
am grateful for that.  I am sure that there are a fair share of retentive 
individuals who own Corvairs and there is a much higher percentage with Vettes.  
However, it is more a financial issue than it is just being retentive.  It is 
rare to find a Corvair that sells at the 5 figure level and those rare 
instances don't go too far into that realm.  It is very rare to find a 50s or 60s 
Vette that is more than a wreck that goes for less than $15,000.  To take a nice 
Vette driver worth around $25 - $30,000 and add $10 - $15,000 to make it a 
true numbers matching car could increase its value to $60,000 or more.  The 
"upgrade" to your Corvair might cost $5 - $8000 but you wouldn't recoup the cost, 
at least not by a large margin.  Of course, these numbers depend on what you 
start out with.  Even if our cars become more "collectable" to the general 
market, it won't ever be by a big jump.  This has to do with many things but the 
most important is the quantities.  My 1960 Vette is one of 10,261 built.  There 
were over 250,000 Corvairs built in 1960.  Personally, I prefer my cars to be 
as close to original as possible but I am not rabid about it even with my 
Vette.  I agree that becoming too retentive takes a lot of the fun out of the 
hobby.  JMHO.  Presently, only 2 of my cars have their original engines and I am 
sure that most of the other parts are a mixed bag.

Doc  (4 Corvairs but only 1 Vette)
'60 Vette; '61 Rampside; '64 Spyder; '65 Greenbrier; '66 Corsa; '67 Nova SS; 
'68 Camaro ragtop
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a message dated 05/30/04 9:43:04 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
virtualvairs-request@corvair.org writes:

> Message: 8
> From: NicolCS@aol.com
> Date: Sun, 30 May 2004 09:27:09 EDT
> To: virtualvairs@corvair.org
> Subject: <VV> Matching engine numbers
> 
> I've followed this thread with a heavy heart.  I sure hope the "matching 
> number" thing never catches on with Corvair people.  I'm also a member of NCRS 
> (Corvette restorers) club and let me tell you, matching numbers is a nice 
> amusement but it will come back to bite with a vengance.  Corvette people are so 
> anal about numbers that it takes all the fun out and IMHO just about kill the 
> joy of owning one of those cars. Dated heads, "correct" fuses and correct 
> turn-signal flashers, dated mirror glass and windows, dull door jambs (point 
> deduction if otherwise), deductions for reproduction parts, "correct" 
> overspray, dated plug wires; IT'S INSANE.  Please hope that this never catches on 
> beyond the amusement and research stage for the Corvair hobby.  If you think 
> Early/Late gets a little stale as a topic of discussion, it pales in comparison 
> to "dated and correct", which is roughly 10,000 times more unpleasant.  Let's 
> keep our heads up on this one.
> Craig Nicol
> 65,66,67 Corvairs, 140/4, 2 EFI
> 65 Corvette 327 FI