Reconstructed Vehicle VIN swap - Page 4

HS PROFESSOR · #31 08-23-2006, 06:53 AM

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I'm sure that there may be several cars running around out there that have had that done. I knew of a guy when I was in H.S. that wrecked his Monte Carlo. He got a doner car, and cut them both in 1/2, and made 1 good car out of the two. He did use the front 1/2 of his original car, so the VIN would not have been an issue. There are also many cars out there that have had every part on them replaced with the exception of the cowl area, so to me that is pretty much the same thing only you replaced the car around the VIN tag.

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I've clipped many cars in my days in a collision shop and many time the insurance company paid for it.Is it right ??? who nows. If it was a Honda Accord no one would care.But its not. The owner of the car can probably pull it off as a repair. But he then has to take the car and have it inspected so it can be registered with a salvage title. It happens all the time guys.Dont get your panties in a wad. Welcome to the used car/collision industry. 25k is way low for a PAMPERED GNX anyway.The buyer KNEW he was getting a totaled car. Its the next buyer that wont be so lucky.I'm sure those Buick Guys have #298 forever engrained in their heads.I dont think there was much usable on the original #298 anyways.That car was toast. Probably a fatality too.Its haunted.

bob

**firstgenaddict** · #32 08-23-2006, 09:24 AM

"Like i said before:
Sounds illegal to me."

I am not saying that it SHOULD be legal I am just saying that it is NOT Illegal.

I was under the same assumption that it was ILLEGAL no matter where it took place or who was doing it or why it was being done.
Until I did a little research, then I found the Federal Statute. Of course states have every right to make their own laws much more strict.

njsteve · #33 08-23-2006, 06:12 PM

Final answer: you cannot take the VIN off of one car and put it on another. No statute allows that, including what is in bold in the above reply. That only refers to repairing the existing car and replacing it on that same car.

**PeteLeathersac** · #34 08-23-2006, 07:09 PM

Like the professor, I clipped many cars in the old days and was paid by insurance companys to do so. . Not only was this type of repair method understood as totally legal, but when done properly the result was a clean and much superior repair than fixing smashed areas....especially when rear clips. .

It wasn't uncommon when badge engineered cars became a half breed....like Novas w/ Acadian, Omega, Apollo or Ventura noses or rear clips. .

Section cuts, partial cowl cuts etc. were not as clean to do as a rear clip but never did we jump a Vin as it was always understood as totally illegal. .

To me this GNX # 298 job is an obvious felony and as much as the seller notes it has a collision history, his auction is completely misleading to an uneducated buyer. .

In cases where you can remove and reattach a Vin w/ the proper athorities present, I highly doubt jumping Vins from one car to another would be legit....anywhere! .

And good move James passing the thread onto the buyer....it may not make anyone happy but maybe it's not too late for him to understand what he's getting himself into? .

~ Pete

HS PROFESSOR · #35 08-23-2006, 07:20 PM

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To me this GNX # 298 job is an obvious felony and as much as the seller notes it has a collision history, his auction is completely misleading to an uneducated buyer. .

In cases where you can remove and reattach a Vin w/ the proper athorities present, I highly doubt jumping Vins from one car to another would be legit....anywhere!

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I completely agree. Its obvious he switched tags,as that car was a TOTAL LOSS in anyones book.Nothing to clip !!!! But my guess is they will try to say they fixed it. I bet this car will have a long storied future.

bob

**DaveC68** · #36 08-24-2006, 12:27 AM

I almost fear chiming in here... but here goes

if I understand correctly. Its not OK to own both the wrecked GNX and a complete car, switch the VIN and reconstruct the GNX.
But it would be OK to clip the GNX at the windshield posts and across the floor...say just below the gas pedal and graft it onto the complete car to reconstruct the GNX.
(And by the looks of the pictures the windshield posts have already conveniently been clipped)

I think the real question is...How much( or how little)a piece of sheet metal that contains the VIN tag (rivits intact) can be removed and replaced to another car without it being considered removing the vin

And does it make a difference if I own the wrecked GNX and want to repair it? (OK?)
Or if I own a GN and buy the wrecked GNX to clone or pass my GN for a GNX? (not OK?)
Isn't it the same "thing" in the end, just different circumstances to arriving there?

jfkheat · #37 08-24-2006, 02:30 AM

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I think the real question is...How much( or how little)a piece of sheet metal that contains the VIN tag (rivits intact) can be removed and replaced to another car without it being considered removing the vin

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You would need to leave at least 1 to 1 1/2 inches so you could weld it in and not hurt the VIN tag.

James

nuch_ss396 · #38 08-24-2006, 08:46 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I almost fear chiming in here... but here goes

if I understand correctly. Its not OK to own both the wrecked GNX and a complete car, switch the VIN and reconstruct the GNX.
But it would be OK to clip the GNX at the windshield posts and across the floor...say just below the gas pedal and graft it onto the complete car to reconstruct the GNX.
(And by the looks of the pictures the windshield posts have already conveniently been clipped)

I think the real question is...How much( or how little)a piece of sheet metal that contains the VIN tag (rivits intact) can be removed and replaced to another car without it being considered removing the vin

And does it make a difference if I own the wrecked GNX and want to repair it? (OK?)
Or if I own a GN and buy the wrecked GNX to clone or pass my GN for a GNX? (not OK?)
Isn't it the same "thing" in the end, just different circumstances to arriving there?

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This question harks back to a discussion here before about
the Dynacorn bodies and use of original VIN & cowl tags.

This is going to become a slippery slope when someone
prominent ( like, let's say Jay Leno ) gets burned and
wants restitution. How much of the original car is necessary in a reconstruction to keep it the original car?
Just the cowl area? Under that premise, a Dynacorn body
could then be considered a real Camaro ( by the unknowing ).

See where this is going?

southernfriedcj · #39 08-26-2006, 10:03 AM

Wouldn't the VIN swap law apply to the purple Hemi Cuda that was sold at the BJ auction this year? They said the car was burned up in a fire and "rebodied". I was surprised when they announced it, as I thought "rebodying" was illegal.

njsteve · #40 08-26-2006, 05:43 PM

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Wouldn't the VIN swap law apply to the purple Hemi Cuda that was sold at the BJ auction this year? They said the car was burned up in a fire and "rebodied". I was surprised when they announced it, as I thought "rebodying" was illegal.

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Yes it would. I was flaberghasted when I heard the announcer call it a rebody on the air. Nothing like admitting to a felony in front of a couple million people.