<VV> Rebodied car - legal realities

Bill Elliott Corvair at fnader.com
Sat Jul 2 12:06:03 EDT 2005


Excellent post!!!

(snip)

>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. 
> 

You see that in crash repairs of modern cars but not in restorations.


>In my understanding, it is specifically illegal to disturb or alter the VIN  
>plate in any way.  

Again, I _think_ that while this is true, many restorations indeed disturb or alter the VIN plate.

If there is the intent to defraud (for example switching  
>the identity of a unibody car), that is unequivocally illegal!
> 

Absolutely agree here.

>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.
> 
>(snip)

This is how the laws in other countries are typicallyt set up. Percentage of content is extremely important. And where new bodies (yes even new whole 
unibodies are available) the situation becomes even more complex... but again many of the foreign laws (I'm speaking more about the UK than most other 
places) specially address these sorts of issues.

It sounds like some US state laws may be more specific than I was aware of... but I'll bet you find high dollar restoration shops safely doing as I suggest... 
even though it might be outside of the letter of the law.  What I don't think you would find would be modern bodyshops dealing withmodern vehicles safely 
operating outside of these guidelines.

 (The hot rod issue was a different case altogether...with a clear intent to defraud.)

Bill




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