Define "re-body"...

[JHS]

Lots of talk about re-bodied cars going around. Can somenone define re-body, where panel replacement ends and re-body begins? If one replaces the quarters, fenders, floor pans, trunk pan, hood and deck lid (all with GM original metal from donorcars) is this considered a re-body?

[mockingbird812]

[WILMASBOYL78]

Sam, you beat me to it....here's a "re-body shop"

[CC Rider]

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[Mark_C]

So we get back to my original post that said maybe the 50% criteria would need a time limit, since I have already replaced 2 fenders and 2 quarters along with a new convertible top in 1983, a door skin, half floor pan and new valence panel in 91 and potentially a new trunk lid and outer wheelwells if I repaint the car this year I'm coming up on the magic 50 percent of sheetmetal requirement to qualify as a rebody. Maybe convertibles should get a break ( like 65%)since they don't have sheetmetal roofs and sail panels. I certainly would not consider my car a rebody as none of the changes I have made affect any of the original components that carry the hidden VINs and none of the parts used ever existed on another vehicle (except the valence). So the definition of a rebody does not work for me, unless there was some kind of modification like the parts used in the "rebody" came from another vehicle(vs NOS or aftermarket components). The others are fine.

[njsteve]

Here is the final verdict from someone in the legal profession:

Removing the VIN from one body and placing it on a DIFFERENT body is illegal. Period, end of story.

Removing the VIN from a body to replace a rusty part and then reinstalling it on the SAME body, is not seen as a criminal offense by most law enforcement agencies. Some states require a law enforcement witness to the removal and reinstallation but it is more of a motor vehicle-related infraction and not the major felony that VIN swapping is. Replacing a single panel on the original body or a large number of panels does not alter the classification.

That is how the law enforcement agencies, state and federal, view it.

Just because some car owner's club or restoration judging entity creates a classification for "air cars" or "rebodies" etc., doesn't alter the fact that the car is illegal and the act of creating it is a serious crime.

It is only a matter of time until an example is made of one of these VIN swapped, rebodied, high dollar, high publicity cars. It will take one of these Franken-cars to get seized for the violation to be finally taken seriously by the unscrupulous traders and "restorers."

It is the duty of all enthusiasts of bonafide cars to raise a stink every time one of these rebodied/VIN swapped abortions comes to light, because when they do come up for auction and the publicity leads them to sell for 1/3 of what the seller has into it, then the purveyors of these rolling felonies will finally stop dealing in them and go back to selling swamp land in Florida.

Here's a reall life example: Remember that Rally green, rebodied "low mileage" Z/28 that sold at the BJ Las Vegas auction last year? The stink raised by that car was probably the reason that the same buyer did not go anywhere near the green ZL1. (Even the really creepy backrubbing by Mr. Sunglasses, caught on camera, couldn't get him to bid on the ZL1) Very wise move by the bidder to keep his wallet closed during that sale, and without him in the bidding mix, the car was not bid up to real ZL1 value territory. Obviously, the intelligent people present that evening saw he wasn't bidding and took that as a hint to stay away.

[kwhizz]

What Steve "Said"......

Ken

[iluv69s]

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Removing the VIN from one body and placing it on a DIFFERENT body is illegal. Period, end of story.



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Thats the bottom line in a nutshell.....from a legal point of view!! Thanks

[Schonyenko2]

Thank you. That was what I have believed all along.
I still have a hard time understanding how they, :ie law enforcement feds/locals, allow cars that are labeled as rebodies to blatently be auctioned off. It's hard to look the other way when milloins of people are watching.
Does knowingly selling a rebodied car at auction, like they (BJ) are doing constitute complicity, and or fraud?
And finally, if you as the new owner, knowing full well that the car is a retagged, rebody, go and have it titled, and registered in your name, are you also complicent in perpetuating the fraud?
Nice to have legal counsel on the SYC site. Leave him alone Kwizz.

[showyourauto]

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So we get back to my original post that said maybe the 50% criteria would need a time limit, since I have already replaced 2 fenders and 2 quarters along with a new convertible top in 1983, a door skin, half floor pan and new valence panel in 91 and potentially a new trunk lid and outer wheelwells if I repaint the car this year I'm coming up on the magic 50 percent of sheetmetal requirement to qualify as a rebody.

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When I am considering a car, I look at WHAT sheetmetal has been replaced and compare that to what typically rusted out first in those given models. Typically, rear quarters are the first things to go, then some the trunk floor is more common, followed by the front floor pans. This kind of work, when done right does not bother me. If we are talking about major rust in structural areas of the car, eg. frame horns, firewall, A pillars, rocker boxes, rear frame extensions, etc- that kind and extent of replacement gives me pause. Depending on the rarity of the vehicle, one of these on the list may be acceptable (at a reduced price). More than a couple of these key items, I'd consider the car a "rebody". To borrow from the construction trade: new sheet rock, no big deal. Replacing the most of the major load bearing walls, I'll likely look for another house.