[Chateau Slate 66]

I posted this on TC, but it applies to this thread too...

If you use that same "George Washington's axe" arguement, you should be able to use this analogy...

I am sure that most people have seen an episode or two of "Antiques Roadshow" or at least heard about someone that had a highly desireable piece of funiture or antique and when they brought it to an appraiser, they had either cleaned it up too much or sanded and refinished it. The appraiser always says that "in its original condition, it would have brought 'X' money, but since you cleaned/refinished it, it has been DEVALUED to 'X' money."

The same should apply to the cars (legal issues aside) if they are trying to make the comparison. A rebody should never be worth close to the price of the original article.