Vin number

[Innuendo]

.. but how bout the motor beginning with nr instead of qr ....

The NT NASCO 308 replacement block/engine if it is documented (big if) in the vehicles history it may not effect the figure as much.
But it would hurt to a point. Engines don't seem to phase as many people as I suspect they expect engines to wear out or be modified or replaced.
Still, if you want matching numbers car the original engine number really matters. You want the numbers to match the sales invoice and owners manual/log books.

That's where the highest desirability and highest prices are at along with factory running gear specs, colours and rarity (With Panel Vans your also considering windowless side panels).

[pj350]

I get that it's not the original motor ..its a 78 motor
What I'm thinking is that early in it's life the motor must have basically self destructed itself... or owner lack of maintaining it. ..
None the less it must have been a holden dealership that replaced the motor to have the nr on engine number ?...Unfortunately I have no record of what happened back in the 70s ...
Just dreaming one day how it will feel to drive on road trips. ..
happy days.

[Innuendo]

It may or may not have been a Holden dealer who replaced it. Many dealers and parts shops offered genuine Holden parts without ever selling cars or having a mechanical shop.
I remember buying a lots of Holden spares from South Coast Agencies in Wollongong. Also places like Bennett & Barkell, Bennett & Woods etc. These wholesalers would stock and supply local mechanics genuine NASCO/Holden spare parts. Would have been nice to have the paper work for it. But as you say, you'll drive it with a smile on your face!

[wbute]

Byron always stated a Nasco block was the only acceptable alternative to an original block, as it could have been a warranty exchange etc. I guess it’s a heaps better option than the incorrect block with close to correct date coding.
This motor could also have been sitting in a big dealer and fitted years after it was made, much like all the crate fuel injected 5 litre motors that were available for years after they stopped building them.

[Willo68]

Thanks everyone for your help

[Dr Terry]

Byron always stated a Nasco block was the only acceptable alternative to an original block, as it could have been a warranty exchange etc. I guess it’s a heaps better option than the incorrect block with close to correct date coding.

While I respect Byron's opinion on this, there are other reasons that an 'incorrect' engine number can be fitted to a car. I don't see an 'N' prefix block as being the "only acceptable alternative to an original block".

A good example is dealer warranty. I've been in the auto trade since 1970 & in that time I've seen just about every dealer fix there was. This is not just Holden dealers either, it could have been any of them, especially some of the lesser volume brands where parts availability wasn't always good.

It was very commonplace during warranty, for complete engines to be removed from cars in stock to get a car back on the road & keep a customer happy. If you have say a 2017 VFII SS which had a serious warranty issue with the engine, say a porous block, which meant that the block had to be replaced. Your car was a special order in a particular colour & trim with custom options. A replacement vehicle is simply not available. Also a replacement engine may be weeks or even months away.

The dealer could elect to take a car out of his stock & fit the complete engine & ancillaries out of that car into yours. Your car is now back on the road & you cannot argue about the quality of the work, it really is 'as good as new'.

In time the warranty replacement engine arrives from the manufacturer & is fitted to the vehicle in stock, with no time pressure & plenty of testing etc.

While I admire originality, I think that many people are being too precious about 'matching numbers' & 're-bodies' & the like. Cars are meant be used & have a life & if that includes major incidents & repairs early in life, why (if those repairs are carried out in a quality fashion) should that effect value to the huge extent that it seems to.

Dr Terry

[pj350]

I love originality all matching so called numbers as well... nothing gets me more excited. ..
But I guess the car is 41 years young ..I've worked out in shearing sheds where I've seen fellas rock up in places where you swear only 4x4 s could go ....with xa gt car's these really have left fond memories ...I even had a slr 5000 that I use to take out there in the early 80s ....would you be expecting those car's now in the outback station country. ..
Some of the places... conditions ..trauma ...we use to put those car's through ... my sandman has a nr block ...im happy with that.

[wbute]

It really doesn’t worry me if a Sandman has an original block. You couldn’t even give them away 20 years ago, so being in original condition is a miracle. I was just quoting what was said regarding those people who do crave originality and the Nasco block does eliminate any incorrect engine number.

[Innuendo]

I take onboard all opinions. But this is the reason cars that have survived with all matching numbers and books are the most desirable and pull the most serious collectors money.
The more known history/log books/owners manuals etc the rarer the car. The better/higher the factory spec also. This doesn't make all other worthless of course. Just pointing out why others are worth more.

[pj350]

Yes I get that ...
Every car has a story to tell ..Some interesting stories ....others not so .