What all is required to have a "numbers matching" car? Where are each of these numbers? Once I have the numbers, is there a web site I can go to tofind out what I have?

 

There isn't really such a thing for Fords. That's mostly a Chevy thing because every little part not only has a part number, but a date code. Ford didn't do that. As far as I know, the closest thing to numbers matching is perhaps that the car has what the VIN code or if you're lucky, build sheet, denotes. I do believe there are some sort-of date coding associated with casting numbers on the block and heads, but I've never researched it because I'm not into that on my Mustangs.

My Corvette is mostly numbers matching, but unless you're going to sell the car soon or enter it into NCRS shows, there's really no point in spending the extra money and going on the adventure of finding the right date-code fuel door or 4 matching rims. Such an expensive pain, but some people dig it. More power to 'em. I'm just not that kind of girl.

 

Mustangs, actually had at least partial VIN numbers on the engine block and tranny (not sure about the rear end) from 1968 on; 67 Mustangs and earlier did not other than K-code engines and some 4-speed toploaders. But ToolWench is right, matching numbers is more of a "Chevy" thing.

Matching numbers to me isa that car has the original engine, tranny and rearend. It varies from person to person.

 

There are date codes on the engine blocks. As I recall, they are as specific as month and year. Since motors could be and were made in advance of the completed car, it could be plausible to have a March '66 motor in a May '66 built car – but not the other way around... for all you Concourse fans.

 

Numbers matching means that the engine, transmission and rear end have the VIN of the car stamped on them.

 

where would the vin be stamped on the engine? 1968 390ci

 

Again, there is no VIN number on a 68 390. The numbers matching game is almost all date code related for early cars; fenders, hood, glass, etc. Almost all the spot welded body sheet metal had a date code as well. Most 289 HP engines had the VIN number stamped on a boss on the right front of the block. I've had two 4 speed cars, one a top loader, the other a T10, and both had the VIN number on the transmission. Both were Metuchen built in 66. Boss 302 and 429 engines were VIN identified but I don't know about the transmissions.
Jim