<VV> Rebodied car - legal realities

[NicolCS at aol.com]

Let's not allow our good intentions to mask the realities of this  concept.  
The laws governing these things are more specific than most  people realize.  
The laws have to be specific in order to catch the  bad guys that have been 
stealing and renumbering cars for decades.  There's  also national legislation 
requiring title brands for vehicles that have  been subject to reconstruction, 
damage or theft.
 
If your VIN plate appears to have been tampered with  (cuts, wrinkle,  
damage, grinding marks, rivets (where oem was welded), and so-on) it's an  automatic 
impound until the authorities get to the bottom of the issue - even in  a 
roadside traffic stop or simple licensing inspection.  If, after impound  and 
inspection, the authorities determine that things are OK they frequently  will 
issue a state-assigned VIN to preclude further confusion.  If things  are not in 
order, the vehicle will be impounded and criminal investigations may  be 
initiated.
 
Many states divide the vehicle into four zones; front, cowl, cabin,  rear.  
If the vehicle is damaged and repaired in more than one zone, it may  receive a 
"reconstructed vehicle" brand. I replaced the rear clip and part of  the 
right rail on my wife's car and since these repairs involved two  zones, it is so 
branded. In my state (ID) and many others bodyshops  are required to report 
major replacements and vehicles may have to be retitled  with branded titles. 
This is where Carfax gets some of their accident  history data. My neighbor has 
a branded-title Cherokee that received it's brand  after a major collision 
repair. It's my understanding that these branding laws  exist in almost all 
states.
 
If the repairs result in a VIN mismatch, or there has been a major  
reconstruction, the usual approach is to provide a state-assigned VIN number  after 
appropriate inspections, and evidence of the parts purchases. 
 
In my understanding, it is specifically illegal to disturb or alter the VIN  
plate in any way.  If there is the intent to defraud (for example switching  
the identity of a unibody car), that is unequivocally illegal!
 
Considered logically, when the structure of a given car is more than 50%  
from another car, it becomes another car.  In actuality, the  state gets 
interested when the number is over 25%, measured using  the front/cowl/cabin/rear 
measurement system.
 
I've had personal experience with these things having legally  rebuilt a 
dozen or so wrecked vehicles in three states (WA, ID, CA).   Back when I had a 
dealer license, I was authorized to inspect VINs. In that  capacity, I (and the 
local DMV office as well) was compelled to refer ANY  discrepancies to the 
state MV investigator. If anyone wants to check my facts,  I'd be happy to forward 
the number of our state inspector, it's in my  rollodex.
Don't kid yourself, the states take this kind of stuff very  seriously.
Craig Nicol