[RamAirDave]

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Early Vettes have a VIN tag that is screwed on with two phillips head. Is removing those screws to paint the car a crime? What happens when said painter removes the tag and loses it? I personally know of a car that that happened to. A new VIN tag was made by a company and it was reapplied to the car. What would you classify this car as.

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It would be a questionable car.

I don't know the exact legalities, but straight R&R (temporary and doesn't go to another car) in the process of resto isn't going to be prosecuted as far as I know. It happens often in the case of upper dash panel replacement and maybe (in vette cases, I don't know) in paint process. For paint, I would rather it be masked rather than removed.

For whatever case, "losing" the removed tag is inexcusable IMO. That's a pretty important piece and great care should be taken as far as securing (not losing) it.

As far as the new VIN tag being made, well... I would wager that the guy that bought the new VIN tag would not say where it was purchased, nor would the tag maker ever advertise. Very illegal to manufacture VIN tags.