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Heritage Trust Certificate ERROR?

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Personally I wouldn't worry about it. Unless you own a very special car, ex works, or ex motor show for instance, then matching numbers isn't a big issue. Lots of cars have different engines or gearboxes in them, and many so called 'matching numbers' cars are not what they claim as its so easy to change the tags. Just enjoy the car.
 
Right On, Derek. This concept of matching numbers is so tediously blase'. Unless one has a very, very notoriously unique car the fact that it has the trans or the engine or even the chassis from another car is irrelevant. Today when all the pundits that want to blather about how much they are in the know babble about "matching numbers" they are mostly talking about build dates. And as quickly understood, if a shop has something like a 273 cubic inch, Plymouth Barracuda and they want it to be a 440 cu in Barracuda then all they need is an engine that has a build date in "approximately" the same time frame. The original Matching Numbers concept was on the Chevrolet Corvettes. This was that the engine number and the VIN number were the same. This was something that if changed by 'losing' an engine it couldn't be corrected. It became obvious that the car was changed. So now everyone wants to claim that their car is 'Original". But a car can be extremely changed but be claimed original by having the appropriate build dates. Another comical to me, yet extreme & acceptable deviation is such things as a multimillion dollar Ferrari or some other such vehicle that has been "Rebodied". Yet hold the original chassis and body number.
 
To claim a car is "matching numbers" based on an attempt to de fraud is a completely different animal than something that is genuinely authentic with its original , numbered , major components . The collectible market will always favor an authentic item over one that has had major parts replaced. Unfortunately , too many owners nowadays brag about their "matching numbers Super Snipe or whatever ", while pushing it out of their covered trailer !
 
My own personal opinion, which some will disagree with, is "matching numbers" is manufactured demand right up there with the best of the diamond industry. If a numbered component is replaced with an exact replacement, the car will operate exactly the same. There's no change in the character of the car and the only way most people will know of the change is if they have something like a Heritage certificate to reference. And to really set some heads spinning, I'd argue a clone GTO, SS396 or Hemi Cuda would give you the same driving experience as an original at considerably less cost . Having said that, both my Healeys are matching numbers cars (although the matching number engine just doesn't happen to be in the big Healey right now. :angel2:)
 
The subject of "matching numbers" is a pet peeve of mine. Yes, it comes from the Corvette world and has, in my opinion, done significant harm to the collector car world. The obsession with it is so extreme that many now apparently consider it an all-or-nothing, make-or-break criterion.

I sold an MGB-GT V8 last year, but initially forgot to tell the seller that the block had recently been changed. I contacted him when I realized that to inform him of that fact before he came to collect the car, and he backed out of the deal. The money was already in my bank account, we were within days of him taking possession of the car, and he backed out. This was a 1974 MGB-GT. Let that sink in. I can understand using matching numbers as a tie-breaker criterion for rare, exotic machinery, but on an MGB-GT?

It's gotten so bad that some, maybe many, collectors will not even touch a non-matching numbers car, as if it renders the car worthless. What a pity for us all.

An engine block is a car part, nothing more and nothing less. Many parts are changed in the life of an old car. There are many numbered and dated parts on a car, Healeys included, and in my opinion the all-or-nothing attitude about them is senseless. It is, however, a reality that we must live with.
 
Rick, I like your point about your matching numbers big Healey. Just that the matching numbers engine is on the shop floor right now. I too have a similar situation with my '70 Vette. After 35 years of driving it in original, stock condition, 2 years ago I decided to hot rod it. I had a roller cam, 383 cu in engine built from a 1990 Chevy truck block. (OEM roller Block). Everything else on & in the engine is from the aftermarket. It has the original radiator albet with an extra core, a reworked original trans and beefed up rear end assembly. I figure when and if the time ever comes to sell it I can advertise it as an all original car. It's just that all the original parts are in boxes or on the engine stand. AND, BEST OF ALL YOU GET TWO CARS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE. Which ever configuration the new owner wants to keep it in. :smile:
 
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