[tirebird]

"To the seller, it is difficult to document a Van Nuys built Z-28 since there are no X Codes on the trim tag."

Boy, I can relate to that HotRodPaul. Years ago I sold a Van Nuys Z28 in excellent shape. I used a local consignment shop to avoid the "lookyloos", posers, pretenders, and wannabe joy riders who would lie just to get behind the wheel. It amazed me how many would be buyers didn't know that Van Nuys cars did not come with the "x" on the trim tag. They would argue with the consigner about the car.

I had the complete owner history of the car, no POP plate, and all the machine shop and body shop receipts for the frame off restoration performed several years earlier. I even had the original bill of sale. However, the last owner before me, rebuilt the engine and decked the block. So, the assembly date stamping was missing. That made it somewhat difficult to sell, despite all the other documentation. Even with machine shop receipts, showing the stamping number, buyers think you're guilty until proven innocent. Frankly, given the amount of fraud out there, I don't blame them.

I sometimes miss "my Z28", but I don't miss the two month marathon of selling it. In the end, honesty does pay, and the new buyer realized I was telling the truth and bought the car. He was also able to contact the machine shop, and the previous owners to verify it's authenticity which put him at ease.