Re: Matching numbers

[djbender@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

     John Hertzman responded to my question about matching numbers etc. in 
     his usual well thought out, gracious, detailed style.
     
     After thinking about this some more I'd like to amplify a little more.
     
     John says
     
     >It is not completely correct that it "often helps the value of a car
     to swap in a better engine for example (larger, later, or upgraded
     components, say to make a Normale look like a Veloce)". Some
     distinguish sharply between a Normale, an Abnormale, and a Veloce. The
     tipping point is roughly where the price stops declining and starts 
     going up, and before long discriminating
     buyers start removing the larger, later, or upgraded components to
     restore a car, if possible, to a good copy of original condition.
     Someday, if enough survive, people will be removing the three-liter
     engines from GTV-6s, looking for old-style balky-shifting gearboxes,
     raising the suspensions to stockheight, paying a premium to Coker Tire
     for 195-60 R 15 Pirelli P-6s, and looking for just the right shade of
     blue for the seats for a silver '82.<
     
     Correct me if I'm wrong John but you seem to be saying that for post 
     war cars (or at least post 1960), it is difficult to determine whether 
     the engine etc. is original for the chassis, and not too 
     important...what would be important for collectors would be "correct" 
     restorations, i.e. restored to "original style," with all 
     original-type components.  It would be difficult to verify whether all 
     those components are "original to the car" which seems to be a fetish 
     for American muscle car restorers (matching numbers).  I suppose that 
     if someone could come up with papers to prove that the engine, trans, 
     and diff are original to the car this would be important to some 
     collectors.
     
     Another thing that does not seem to hurt a car's value, and can 
     improve it, is "period correct" mods, such as Nardi steering wheels, 
     real Chromodora 5-point alloys on GTVs, Autodelta parts, etc.  Time 
     will only tell what will constitute "period correct" mods for a recent 
     car such as a GTV6.  But I agree that a mix-and-match approach 
     (3-liter engine, later shifter) probably will not help collector 
     value.
     
     I have noticed that tasteful upgrades to a Giulia era car (esp. GTV) 
     can improve its value...Chromodoras, Ward & Deane springs, ported 
     head.  But it's easy to go too far and as John says these cars are 
     close to the point where the most valuable ones will be those restored 
     to original style.  Giulietta era cars are already at that 
     point...period mods only seems to be the thing there for restored 
     cars.
     
     

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