Re: [FWDLK] Plan-A from Outer Panels

[cmf392@xxxxxxxxxxx]

I think it's clear that if you take the VIN from one car and attach it to
another to cover up the fact that it's stolen, you have violated the law.
To what extent the law allows (or even addresses) major parts swapping
(including VIN) in the restoration of an older car is a much fuzzier
question.  I'm a lawyer; I haven't done a major study of this issue, but I
have dragged out the Florida Statutes and taken a look at them, and I can't
figure out what the answer is even in this State, let alone the other 49.
Can you legally start with a hulk, cut away everything but a VIN and
whatever numbers you need and replace everything else?  I think so.  Is that
a felony?  I doubt it.  Can you then pass this off as an unmolested
original?  I'd say that if you sold it as such and the buyer later found out
the truth, you'd have a lawsuit on your hands.

If it's permissible to use several cars to make one good one (and anyone
who's restored a car has done that to some degree), then I'm not sure why it
would be a felony to use the VIN of the most collectible of the many cars
you are using to make that one good one.

Like I have said before in previous discussions of the
authenticity/originality issue, if you restore a car, you replace many of
its original parts.  The worse shape the car is at the outset, the more you
have to replace.  At what point the car becomes less than authentic is a
difficult question to answer.  I'd guess that so long as you are honest
about what you have done, you don't have anything to worry about legally.
How "authentic" it might be deemed by a potential buyer and (therefore) how
valuable the result might be is a different matter.

Curtis in Tallahassee, Florida
56 Belvedere club sedan
59 Coronet 2 door hardtop

----- Original Message -----
From: "eastern sierra Adj Services" <esierraadj@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2002 12:45 AM
Subject: [FWDLK] Plan-A from Outer Panels


> FRAME SWAP!!!???  Don't you realize that you would be altering the
> "matching-numbers"  (frame-stampings, w/engine/ body info) status, of
> your car [ just-kidding!! ]
>
> Seriously, tho, for all you "moral-types", out there ( & I repeat: I
> have NOT done this, & I am NOT trying to be 'defensive' about this
> subject, only playing devil's advocate):
>
> What is the difference between (CORRECTLY-RESTORING, let's assume) a
> rusted-hulk, containing "only"  its firewall & door hinge posts, & its
> 'restorable-frame',  which contain its Paint/Trim plate, its VIN plate,
> & its frame-stampings..., with all'- "donor" - parts....
>
>
> AND:  taking "valuable"  Paint/Trim plate,  VIN plate, &
> 'matching-number' frame ,  and  re-creating that car , from  a
> 'complete'   "donor" - CAR?????
>
> I, & "you" , know plenty of people who have utilized  'Plan-A', to
> restore convertibles , "using"  'nice' sedans (e,g.) ,  in the process.
>
> Why are some of you 'upset', with  'Plan-B' ?
>
> Which "fully-restored" car, in either scenario, is
> "legitimate" , & which is the bastard?
>
> MY only problem is with someone trying to INVENT a car (w/  fake-I.D.
> tags, etc.----there are lotsa "obvious-clones", out there with
> non-conforming "numbers") that never existed, from the factory, or
> trying to pass-off a "fake" car as an original/correct item.
>
>
> SOOO, I guess, I am a 'stickler' for original "body-tags", IMO, if you
> have THEM,  you have my blessing to do  either Plan-A or Plan-B-----
> because @ what 'point' does a rusted-out (convertible, usually) hulk
> become "immoral"
> to restore?  Supose you've "only" got the "2" tags to work with (& the
> "conv" pieces, too). If you've got a donor car @ hand, & the time/money,
> whatchugonnado?
>
> Just asking,
>
>
> Neil Vedder
> original/semi-correct  D500
>
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