[MultiMopars]

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Im response to all of this:

1. If you look at the areas of my post on page one that are bolded it clearly shows an allowance for removal and MOVING a V.I.N.


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You seem to be basing your opinion completely on the above statement.

You are incorrectly interpreting the statute. No where in the Federal Statutes that you cite does it say that MOVING the VIN to another body is a legally permissible exception. I have yet to find a State statute that specifically permits it either. Have you?

The Federal statututory exception addresses removing the VIN during a repair, to affect that repair and then refers to replacing it on THE SAME vehicle during that repair process. It never mentions MOVING it somewhere else.

You have some very intelligently stated opinions, but as even you said, that is all they are, opinions.

As a restorer, I would rather err on the side of not facing the possibility of civil lawsuits or criminal penalties than err on the side of looking over my shoulder for the cops (less likely) or some disgruntled purchaser with a flock of lawyers for the next 10 years (far more likely).

If you really want to have a rebody exception to the Federal stautes, someone has to put that into a bill form and run it through their senator or congressman. I hereby nominate you to do that. That would settle the argument once and for all and I could finally put down my keyboard and mouse forever.

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I am interpeting the statuate as written. The REPAIR can be many different things depending on the condition of the subject vehicle and what it needs to effect that repair. If the dash, or door, door frame where the V.I.N. is attached needs to be replaced it appears to me to be legal under the law. Who is going to stand there during repair/restoration during this process of the work to determine what was necessary?

People that challenge these things on a particular vehicle would have to be THERE with witnesses at the time it is done to offer any PROOF of what has taken place. Very hard to PROVE in court if it ever got this far. Personally, I applaude the people that step forward and tell the truth about what they have done.

I would much rather have a car that was restored with a donor body, parts/model specific switching, rather than one that was RESTORED by welding togather a bunch of donor parts on a body that was full of rust and tweeked in an accident. That car is a train wreck waiting to happen in a future accident.

Well, the below underlined verbage spells it out for me. As you know, anyone can take anything to task in court, but I believe the below (from the Federal law) speaks for itrself.

a person who repairs such vehicle or part, if the removal, obliteration, tampering, or alteration is reasonably necessary for the repair

a person who restores or replaces an identification number for such vehicle or part in accordance with applicable State law

if that person is the owner of the motor vehicle, or is authorized to remove, obliterate, tamper with or alter the decal or device by— (i) the owner or his authorized agent

The thing we have to keep in mind for the HOBBY is the INTENT of the law. If you legally own BOTH cars and there are no stolen parts involved, then this is considered RESTORATION and has nothing to do with what the law was INTENDED for which is to twart car theives and chop shops.

Then there is the answer from Dynacorn that clealy state the expect many people to use their EXISTING V.I.N. on the new bodies they sell.